HW#2 : How Would You Rebuild A Gothic Church?

There was an immediate backlash against many of the ideas proposed for the Notre-Dame rebuild, especially with a modern touch and/or style. I, for one, think this is a great opportunity to link the past to the present. It is not rare in our history for structures to be damaged and have to be rebuilt which prompts someone to bring in the styles of the time. Some of the most interesting architecture in the world is a combination of multiple cultures and times coming together over the need to fix the damaged parts. There are certain designs that I would never stand for, such as Vizum Atelier’s “Lightweight Crown” which is a not only a hideous mismatch but just looks like a gaudy, glorified satellite tower that stretches up way too far, however I believe it is possible to implement certain aesthetics of the Gothic times and integrate them with modern technology and values. Take Vincent Callebaut’s “Biomimetic Forest”; with a few tweaks in the structural frame, the design could reflect a more harmonious reflection of the existing and well known architectural aesthetics while remaining a beautiful greenhouse exhibition. Even if the forest itself is seen as a distraction (which is understandable as a concern), I believe a touch of modernism would be an excellent addition, instead of holding on too tightly to the past when there’s still so much of it left in the remaining church. I do believe this harmony can be achieved with careful consideration and empathy towards the French people who see the cathedral as a symbol and want to respect the past.

Sabiha Begum – How Would You Rebuild A Gothic Church?

Based on the reading and my research, I believe that the French should rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral with the incorporation of modern architecture and technology. After the fire, the Notre Dame is still in danger of collapsing,  therefore some parts of the architecture need to be modernized while keeping is Gothic features as much as possible. With the architectural knowledge and technology available these days, the Notre Dame can be rebuilt with better materials that will be able to withstand any other type of casualty in the future.

HW2: How Would You Rebuild a Gothic Church?

After reading the article and hearing opinions from both sides, I think the Notre Dame should be rebuilt the same way. This is due to the fact that if the fire had never happened, there would be no need to change it. No one was thinking of changing it before hand because the design and architecture became apart of Paris’ culture, history, and a religion. It should be rebuilt with the same design as before but the way it’s rebuilt should be updated to make it more sturdy and safe. This would help prevent another tragedy like this from happening.

HW2: How Would You Rebuild a Gothic Church?

Photo of smoke and fire Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, April 15, 2019
Photo of smoke and fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, April 15, 2019. Photograph taken by Wandrille de Preville.

On April 15, 2019, a massive fire broke out in Paris’s Cathedral of Notre Dame. Immortalized in Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, this church is considered by many to be the spiritual heart of the nation of France. The destructive fire ravaged the roof of the building and toppled the steeple, but the relics (such as the objects of religious veneration that we studied in class) were saved.  The project to restore the church has begun but there is much debate over how it should be rebuilt. Should the French rebuild a Gothic church? or should they build a modern one? Listen and look at the photos of some ideas for the rebuilding of Notre Dame on NPR (https://tinyurl.com/yxe4xmhc).

Write a 100-word post sharing your thoughts on the rebuilding of this Gothic church. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR POSTS BY MONDAY November 18 Midnight (Same DUE DATE as your in-class powerpoint presentation of the 4-icons assignment)