'Even more beautiful': should Notre Dame get a modern spire?
The competition to repair the Paris cathedral will attract global interest. Architects give their views
It is less than a week since the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral and the response has swung from global grief at an architectural tragedy, to relief that the damage was not as extensive as it could have been, and on to matters of reconstruction. President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the 13th-century landmark will be rebuilt within five years, “even more beautifully”.
Macron’s words accompanied the announcement of an international competition to design a new spire and roof structure – boosted by €1bn of private donations pledged so far. The prime minister, Édouard Philippe, said they hoped for “a new spire adapted to the techniques and the challenges of our era”.
What might that mean? Among other things, a
