13 Architects Suggest Notre Dame Cathedral Reconstruction Designs

On April 15, 2019, one of the most horrific fires of the year broke out when the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris went up in flames. The inferno lasted for around 15 hours as the world watched in terror. The fire completely destroyed the structure’s iconic spire that collapsed hours after the fire was initially noticed. Most of the wood/metal roof of the cathedral was also destroyed, with only about one-third of the roof remaining. The interior of the cathedral didn’t suffer extensive damage thanks to the stone-vaulted ceiling that largely contained the burning roof as it collapsed.

In the following days, French president Emmanuel Macron reassured the public that the cathedral could be restored and a fundraising campaign was quickly initiated to help fund the restoration (that could take up to 20 years or more). As of April 22, 2019, over €1 billion was collected.

On April 17, France announced their plans to host a competition to design a replacement spire for the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. French prime minister Edouard Philippe was reported saying that the government was looking for a fresh look “adapted to the techniques and the challenges of our era”. This prompted many architects and designers to power up their creative minds and conjure new images of the roof and the spire. From contemporary glass towers to Gothic stained glass windows, the entries so far offer a fresh reimagination of the classic. Scroll down below to see the designs and don’t forget to comment and vote for your favorites!