Notre Dame: France launches an international competition of architecture to reconstruct the needle – 18/04/2019

The French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, announced a competition between international architects to propose reconstruction projects of the central spire of the Notre-Dame cathedral, after the emblematic element was engulfed by the flames last Monday, as well as two-thirds of the roof of the iconic building.

The objective of the contest is to "give to Notre Dame a new needle adapted to the techniques and challenges of our time"Said Philippe after participating in a council of ministers exclusively devoted to the reconstruction of the cathedral.

"The international competition will allow us to ask ourselves if we need to recreate the needle as it was designed by Viollet-le-Duc -The architect who designed it – "said Philippe." Or if, as is often the case in the evolution of heritage, we should endow Notre Dame with "the same". a new needle, "added the Prime Minister, opening the possibility of accepting new designs.

While the Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris was built for nearly 200 years from the mid-twelfth century, the architect Eugène Viollet-Duc did not add the needle to the room. origin before the mid-nineteenth century, lead cover and with a height of 90 metersduring restoration work.

In addition, the French Prime Minister also announced that the executive will prepare next week a draft law to provide the legal framework to coordinate donations seamlessly. The text contemplates a tax reduction 75% for private donations of up to one thousand euros and 66% for those who exceed this figure. Businesses, in turn, will benefit from the current reduction of taxes included in the terms of the so-called sponsorships.