| Roof of Mist |
Status: conceptual design
Program: monument
Location: Paris, France
Year: 2019
A spire of a cathedral is historically seen as a symbol of piety, but also representing the wealth of the patron. In 2019, Notre Dame is under damage due to a tragic fire. With the challenge of re-designing the ruined roof for Notre Dame de Paris, we would like to design a roof representing the people aspiration.
Instead of giving the roof a definite shape, we propose a roof that made of mist that represents the collective aspiration. The roof is made of three components: a high-pressure nozzles system, series of triangular frames made of burnt wood, and a steel hanging bridge on top of a glass floor. The nozzles system serves double function as fire-prevention and a social engagement device. It is connected to the city’s voting system and will regulate the pressure of the ejection at different zones according to the response from citizens. The voting system would be operating through apps and Internet platform. The coverage and density of the mist would be changed with human participation. Not only a symbol for piety, we hope the new roof could also be a symbol of encouragement for people to engage with the society, a roof changes it shaped according to people.
Although it is a tremendous loss for the roof of this important monument being destroyed in the fire, we would like to see this as an opportunity for the cathedral to evolve positively; and thus this fire shall not be an urban amnesia. In respect of the original timber structural “forest” on the roof, timber frames are laid according to the original pattern but sublimed into a better weather resistant material charred wood cedar in memorial of the event of fire. Name of people who has contributed to the re-building of the cathedral will be engraved on the wood. The triangular frame will support a hanging bridge that allows people to experience and walk through the misty roof. The glass floor will also reveal the original stone vaulted ceiling of the Gothic church for people to understand more the beauty of the architecture.
Status: conceptual design
Program: monument
Location: Paris, France
Year: 2019
A spire of a cathedral is historically seen as a symbol of piety, but also representing the wealth of the patron. In 2019, Notre Dame is under damage due to a tragic fire. With the challenge of re-designing the ruined roof for Notre Dame de Paris, we would like to design a roof representing the people aspiration.
Instead of giving the roof a definite shape, we propose a roof that made of mist that represents the collective aspiration. The roof is made of three components: a high-pressure nozzles system, series of triangular frames made of burnt wood, and a steel hanging bridge on top of a glass floor. The nozzles system serves double function as fire-prevention and a social engagement device. It is connected to the city’s voting system and will regulate the pressure of the ejection at different zones according to the response from citizens. The voting system would be operating through apps and Internet platform. The coverage and density of the mist would be changed with human participation. Not only a symbol for piety, we hope the new roof could also be a symbol of encouragement for people to engage with the society, a roof changes it shaped according to people.
Although it is a tremendous loss for the roof of this important monument being destroyed in the fire, we would like to see this as an opportunity for the cathedral to evolve positively; and thus this fire shall not be an urban amnesia. In respect of the original timber structural “forest” on the roof, timber frames are laid according to the original pattern but sublimed into a better weather resistant material charred wood cedar in memorial of the event of fire. Name of people who has contributed to the re-building of the cathedral will be engraved on the wood. The triangular frame will support a hanging bridge that allows people to experience and walk through the misty roof. The glass floor will also reveal the original stone vaulted ceiling of the Gothic church for people to understand more the beauty of the architecture.
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