And we need Notre Dame….

Lose the wood next time.

The new roof needs to be waterproof which can be done with lots of different materials. It needs to be strong enough to either support snow or warm enough to melt it. Instead of wood, use steel or aluminum which is stronger and lighter than heavy wooden timbers. Take a look at aircraft hanger roofs. 

 Steel offers high strength and will not spread fire over its surface. The design of long span steel and (steel-concrete) composite beams is generally carried out in accordance with BS 5950, BS EN 1993 or BS EN 1994.

Make the spire like an antenna. Light, trussed without wood, kind of like the Eiffel tower. No one builds high things with wood anymore. 

And the fire at Notre-Dame gave a load of free advertising to the cathedral, Paris and France but it would have been best if there was no fire.

It was 48 years ago when I photographed Notre Dame from across the Seine river, from the square in front of it and inside. It seems like yesterday. It was the first visit to Europe and the first destination was Paris. Hemingway’s Movable Feast was astonishing. The Arc de Triomphe, the Left Bank, the Louve before the triangle, Sacre Couer, the Rue Foyatier, George V, Monmartre, Notre Dame… the fantastic Rose windows. 

That was back in the Cathedral days when it was important to visit the churches, Notre Dame, St. Peters, St. Marks and the square, St. Stephens in Vienna, the Votive Kirche. All were special but Notre Dame was a standout. St. Peters is massive. Michelangelo’s dome, the Pieta before it had to be protected, the cathedral in Cologne but of all those very special places, Notre Dame was memorable.

There’s a feeling some people have about innate things like churches and cathedrals, probably beginning during childhood when the sights, sounds and even the smell of incense is placed in memory. Watching the fire at Notre Dame brought many of the memories back including those from 48 years ago from the leafy walk along the Seine, back to Paris…… we’ll always have Paris, …always, … back to Paris…       

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