5 thought-provoking proposed modern designs for Notre-Dame

Clément Willemin, of French design company BASE Paris, reimagines Notre Dame as a futuristic Eden as a nod to the thousands of ancient timber beams that once formed the “Forest” of Notre Dame’s roof. Willemin envisions the gargoyles hewn into the shape of dodos, white rhinos and other extinct or endangered species as a comment to conservation.

Designer Mathieu Lehanneur unveiled a design conceived as an intentional provocation to underline his disagreement with recontstructing the 19th century design: a massive flame in carbon fiber and gold leaf, a permanent testament to the cathedral’s trial by fire. Lehanneur later decided he was really drawn the flame motif, citing Christian themes: “the flame is actually a very strong symbol in the bible…it’s powerful.” Lehanneur’s incendiary design testifies to Notre-Dame’s enduring spirit, from the trials of the Revolution and 19th century to the violence of WWII.

Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut’s design is meant to act as a bridge between the past and future, humans and nature. Translating classic elements of Gothic design (soaring spires, graceful support systems, light-welcoming-glass) with ecological touches (the design is meant to produce more energy than it consumes while supporting an arable garden), Callebaut hopes that with this design “Notre-Dame will dazzle the world again while amplifying her universal message of peace and her spiritual aspiration.”

Vizum Atelier, a Slovakian-based design company, has perhaps the most high-reaching concept: a tower beaming a light towards the heaven, a 21st century attempt at the Gothic goal to reach as close as possible to God.

Alexandre Fantozzi, of Brazil’s AJ6 I Arch Properties Design, proposes crowning Notre Dame with its most famous element: technicolor stained glass, echoing the cathedral’s rose window. This design embodies Victor Hugo’s testimonial to Gothic color:
“Only the great rose of the façade, whose thousand colours were engulfed by a horizontal sunbeam, shone in the shadows like a jumble of diamonds and echoed their dazzling spectre at the other end of the nave.”