above> known to many as ‘the forest’ the entire roof structure was suspended, never touching the vaulted stone ceilings.
it hasn’t taken very long to grasp that the wooden-frame roof is literally history.
the roof will never be fully restored to its former self nor is there a need. yet how many of the 13 million annual visitors have even perceived the oak beams and carpentry? DesignApplause reflects on a bit of the history and the genius.
[ the roof ]
the roof that was destroyed was the original made up of 1,300 oak trees – a number of 5,000 is often alleged. the oak trees to reach gothic height for this project were nearly 400 years old by the time they were cut. each beam supporting the 100+ yards of roof came from an individual tree. the roof was also known as ‘the forest’.
the wooden roof’s entire wooden frame sat on the stone walls, suspended over and never touching the vaulted stone ceilings. the beams were spliced together into one piece to achieve this span. the structure was impressively heavy made up of 500 tons of wood. the exterior surfaces were clad with 250 tons of lead.
though there are many revival ideas what happens next is difficult to assess. while we wait, DesignApplause ventures into eliminating restoration and winnowing options to replication — possibly via new technology — and inspiration. and if history sets precedent – the original concept has been altered each time during needed renovation – we predict inspiration will guide the way.
[ the frame / la charpente ]
editor’s note: this post will be adding commentary on the spire, the architect, and master carpenter. please stay tuned.
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the notre-dame fire, horrific, but the human spirit by design, brings people closer together.
“utterly heartbroken.” ~ britain’s queen elizabeth and her son and heir prince charles said expressing deep sadness. The fire is a “catastrophe for France, for Spain and for Europe,”
spanish prime minister pedro sánchez tweeted the fire is a “catastrophe for france, for spain and for europe,” adding that the flames are destroying “850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture.”
german chancellor angela merkel offered her country’s help to rebuild a part of “our common european heritage”.
“notre-dame will always remain – and we have seen this in these hours – a place where believers and non-believers can come together in the most dramatic moments of french history.” ~ pope francis.
french president emmanuel macron told reporters near the scene that he will seek international help, including from the “greatest talents” in the world, to rebuild notre dame.
the notre-dame fire reminds us of the frailty of our architectural treasures. “we are used to thinking about them as eternal simply because they have been there for centuries, or a thousand years, but the reality is they are very fragile.” paolo violini, a restoration specialist for vatican museums, who added that the pace of the fire’s spread had been stunning.
as the embers cool, the world joins hands to restore an extraordinary diva.
above > A long-time reader sent DA the above photo this morning along with this caption:
The Pope, wearing a fabulous vintage chiffon-lined Dior gold lame gown over a silk Vera Wang empire waist tulle cocktail dress, accessorized with a three-foot House of Whoville hat and the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in the Wizard of Oz, (add your closing comment here…there are many)
We wondered who said it first:
The man on the left, the one wearing a fabulous vintage chiffon-lined Dior gold lame gown over a silk Vera Wang empire waist tulle cocktail dress, accessorized with a 3-foot beaded peaked House of Whoville hat, and the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in the Wizard of Oz, (add your closing comment here…there are many) – source [ fatom ] 31 March 2006
