Chinese architects win international contest to redesign Notre Dame’s roof and spire after devastating fire
- While proposals are unlikely to see the light of day, US architecture publisher that ran competition hopes it will prompt French to rethink decision to rebuild Parisian landmark exactly as it was before
- Winning design features kaleidoscopic mirrors on roof and spire, which would have floating tip powered by magnetic levitation
Two Chinese architects have won an international competition to design a new spire for Notre Dame cathedral in the French capital.
US publishing company GoArchitect announced on Monday that Cai Zeyu and Li Sibei were the winners of the People’s Notre Dame Design Competition, a worldwide competition to come up with a modern redesign after the devastating fire in April.
Their design was selected from 226 proposals from 56 countries in an online vote of 30,000 people, with the other finalists coming from Canada, Japan, the United States and Britain.
However, their proposals are highly unlikely to see the light of day.
The French parliament has already passed a law to ensure that the reconstruction of the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral will remain faithful to what came before after a suggestion by President Emmanuel Macron that there should be a “creative reconstruction” received a cool response.
