While the recently destroyed rooftop of Notre-Dame Cathedral did, in fact, feature a forest of wooden beams, Belgian design company Miysis Studio wants to pay homage to the previous architectural elements in a more literal way. The firm is only one of many companies contributing their own take on what the new rebuild should look like.
The design features a glass ceiling above a green space that includes trees, plant beds, and benches for taking in the sights. The roof of the glass ceiling would follow the cathedral's original proportions. In an interview with Dezeen, Miysis Studio CEO Denis Stevens shared a few words on the inspiration: “We think there is a way to be respectful and a little bit creative at the same time.”
When it comes to the iconic spire that fell during the fire, Miysis wants to leave it be—their proposed idea recreates the 19th-century spire, letting the juxtaposition of heavy lead and wood structure and glass rooftop play off of each other in a traditional-meets-modern dance.
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It’s a bold design, that’s for sure, but the real beauty comes with its ability to marry two very distinct design styles in one historic structure—one that also tells the story of the damage the recent fire caused.
Other proposed designs suggest using the ashes from the fire to recreate elements of the original cathedral, creating a spire out of Baccarat crystal, and a tower full of beehives.
