The restoration project of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is presented

On April 17, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced an international competition of architects for the restoration of the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, the roof, spire and clock of which completely collapsed during a fire.

The architectural bureau Vincent Callebaut Architectures Paris presented a restoration project of Notre Dame called "PALINGENESIS", which means "rebirth", "regeneration". The roof was proposed to be made of glass, oak and carbon fiber, and a rooster was installed on the spire, miraculously surviving after the fire.

The spire, added during the reconstruction of the cathedral in the XIX century, collapsed in a fire that engulfed the medieval landmark on Monday, April 15, 2019. At the site of the fall of the spire of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, a lost relic associated with Christ was found.

According to Reuters, speaking after a cabinet meeting on reconstruction plans, Philippe said that the competition "will answer the question of whether the spire should be recreated as it was conceived by the architect Violier-le-Duc, or if, as is often the case in the evolution of heritage, we should endow Notre Dame with a new the spire."

The main idea of the project presented on the bureau's website is the transformation of the cathedral into a "building with positive energy that produces more than it consumes."

The new wooden roof frame will be covered with faceted diamond-shaped crystal elements. These crystals consist of an organic active layer consisting of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, which absorbs light and converts it into energy. This energy stored in hydrogen fuel cells will be directly redistributed throughout the cathedral, providing the building with electricity, heat and ventilation.

It is also proposed to place a garden and vegetable garden on the roof of the cathedral, which will be supported by volunteers and charitable organizations.

The garden will promote contemplation and meditation, and, according to the calculations of the authors of the project, it will be possible to collect up to 21 tons of fruits and vegetables here and redistribute them free of charge among the most disadvantaged and homeless Parisians. To this end, a farmer's market will be held every week on the square in front of Notre Dame Cathedral.

As the authors declare, the reconstruction project uses values such as circular economy, renewable energy sources, inclusive social innovations, urban agriculture, protection of biodiversity, without forgetting about beauty and spiritual elevation. The project corresponds to its time and avoids stylistic architecture, which turns the city into an open-air museum.