Image of the remains of Notre Dame Cathedral two days after a big fire partially destroyed the famous Parisian landmark. Photo by Razvan.
On April 15, a fire broke out on the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. When it was extinguished, the Cathedral?s spire and medieval ribbed roof had been devastated, although the main structure was saved, along with the art works contained within the building.
?The shocking tragedy of Notre Dame of Paris should never have happened,? writes architect Phyllis Lambert, founding director emeritus of the Canadian Centre for Architecture. ?Renovation is the most dangerous time in the life of a great building over hundred years old. Dry wood invites fire and is tinder to the smallest spark. Ironically, this occurred when a sprinkler system was being installed at the vast Frank Lloyd Wright Hotel in Phoenix in 1973, and in Canada, fire ripped through the chancel and roof at Notre Dame du Sacré-Coeur Chapel in Montreal in 1978. Symbols of civilization cannot be allowed to serve as cautionary tales.? Domestic and international reaction to the Paris blaze has been swift. On April 16, French President Emmanuel Macron promised that Notre Dame would be rebuilt within five years, in time for France to host the 2024 Olympic Games. The next day, French Prime Minister Éduard Philippe announced an international architectural competition to redesign the roofline of the cathedral. Over $1 billion USD has already been raised for the restoration, ...