Yodhrin wrote:I quite like the idea of "open to the heavens" transparency, but given how many Parisians feel about the pyramid at the Louvre...yeah, I suspect it will end up being something a bit more traditional, at least if they involve anybody beyond the arts world.
Overread wrote:The thing with the Pyramid at the Louvre is that it basically clashes with the whole aesthetic surrounding it. It probably looked good on the 3D model but in reality it just seems odd. I think having it as an elevator point as well kind of took away from it too because it means its always got a long line leading up to it and people doing down into the gallery.
The idea is neat but they could have done better and given it some stonework and features that would fit the feel of the structures around it
People complained a lot about the pyramid when it was first built, but now it's really widely accepted and often cited as an example of a successful mix of modern and classic architectures.
Also, many presidents are best remembered for a big architectural project they overseen/planned during their term. The pyramid is strongly associated with President Mitterrand for instance. The current president doesn't have any big project like that in the pipes, so it's possible he might see a big modern take on Notre Dame as a way to be remembered in history books. This could potentially have a big influence. And clearly, the government wants to steer the project, they're not letting the people in charge of maintaining historical monuments take the decisions.
MDSW wrote:All I can say is I will be visiting Paris in a few weeks and it is an unimaginable tragedy. I do give a big 'hat's off' to the firefighters. I hear it sits on a separated piece of land(?) with water not easy to come by(?) and any early fears of losing the cathedral in its entirety was conquered by the French FD - Bravo to them!!
Yes, it's on one of the two islands on the Seine river, right at the center of Paris (there's actually a plate on the floor just in front of Notre Dame, which is the "center of Paris", as it's the reference point when measuring distances to and from Paris).
I don't have any clue about water supplies. Although they didn't seem to draw water from the river (which is like 20m from Notre Dame). I don't know if it's not an option (maybe you would need huge water pumps that they didn't have), or if water supply wasn't really an issue.
