This poster is for use of the international community in order to convince the public and leaders to act together for the real restoration-reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris and not for makeshift architectural designs that could be grafted on the famous cathedral.

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It is not a conservative point of view against modernity. If we cannot fail to admire the Ieoh Ming Pei’s Pyramid which is a successful architectural project for the Louvre Museum, we have to observe that this remarkable modern Pyramid was not grafted onto the building but built harmoniously in the museum courtyard. In the case of Notre-Dame, this is not an issue of architectural projects to improve the square of the cathedral, but an issue of restoration-reconstruction into the heart of the disaster-stricken building. This poster has three main objectives:

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- Firstly, to support serious restoration-construction initiatives, taking into account that Notre-Dame de Paris is classified as UNESCO World Heritage. Therefore all its architectural components, before the fire, are part of this prestigious human heritage. This is particularly the case of the iconic Viollet-le-Duc-designed spire.

 

- Secondly, to remember that the sublime “gothic” state of Notre-Dame de Paris, known by all our contemporaries, is the work from an exceptional meeting of two geniuses: Victor Hugo and Viollet-le-Duc and the result of their commitment in the 19th century for its restoration-reconstruction. It is due largely to their deserving efforts and remarkable arts that “Notre-Dame de Paris” is so famous in the whole world. (See also the article written (in French) within hours of the disaster occurring: https://lnkd.in/gPCm5gi )

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- Thirdly, to highlight an important architectural aspect: Notre-Dame is a fine example of the “ART of STONE and WOOD”. An art that dates back to the Middle Ages (its oak medieval roof frame, named “the forest”, was completely destroyed by the fire); an art magnified by the Viollet-le-Duc’s spire who has also unfortunately burned before the eyes of the whole world.  

 

So please, give us back ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ just as ‘she’ was yesterday!  

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Alain HAYS

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See also a more illustrated version of this article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/give-us-back-notre-dame-de-paris-just-she-yesterday-alain-hays