When French Prime Minster Edouard Philippe challenged the world to send in their best blueprints for the new spire to replace the iconic one that was destroyed in last Monday's fire at Notre Dame cathedral, some architects got pretty creative - a little too creative.
The most offensive offering, according to traditionalists, was a design that nearly turns the 856-year-old Notre Dame into a green house.
Notre-Dame competition an extraordinary opportunity, says Norman Foster. https://t.co/uQxmDZgHbz pic.twitter.com/FPpQgUmckF
— Royal Fine Art (@RoyalFineArt) April 20, 2019
No thank you was the message from concerned citizens.
I love modern architecture. This is NOT the place for it. https://t.co/CtyTFqVSJJ
— Inez Stepman (@InezFeltscher) April 20, 2019
Restoration, not redesign!
— ArchitecturalRevival (@Arch_Revival_) April 20, 2019
Modernist architects, who have no regard for heritage, beauty, or tradition, must be kept away from Notre-Dame Cathedral pic.twitter.com/pWccP3Hk2V
This is a monstrosity, you don’t have to turn every building into a contemporary shopping mall.
— Nate (@Kohrsnd) April 20, 2019
Eugene Viollet-le-Duc's original spire stood since the 19th century, but it was all gone in a matter of hours last Monday when an inferno consumed the spire, and then the entire roof. Amazingly, when fire crews stepped inside the inside of the church, they found it was largely intact. Inspiring pictures revealed that the cross was even still standing above the altar. Crews were also able to salvage much of the precious artwork housed in the church.
Investigators have been questioning the companies who were hired to do renovations on the cathedral to try and determine how the fire started. They have yet to receive the go ahead to search through the building, however, due to safety concerns.
French President Emmanuel Macron is hoping they can rebuild Notre Dame within five years' time.