Gensler reveals Design for Temporary Pavillon Notre‑Dame

Architecture firm Gensler has proposed creating a pavilion alongside Notre-Dame, located in the cathedral’s iconic Parvis Square, whilst the 850-year-old cathedral is being restored. The proposal comes after the fire, which destroyed the cathedral's roof, in April 15th this year, causing its spire to collapse into the nave below.

The temporary structure would be constructed primarily out of charred timber for added strength and durability. The pavilion is designed as a temporary space to serve a multitude of functions, from religious services to exhibitions and markets to performance.

“Charred timber, which is one of the oldest and most effective methods of protecting wood from fire, also symbolises that what once destroyed Notre-Dame will only serve to make it stronger thus expressing a language of rebirth and transformation.”

Duncan Swinhoe, Regional Managing Principal at Gensler.

Night view, rendering. Temporary Pavillon Notre‑Dame by Gensler. Image Courtesy of Brick Visual.

Gensler designed the conceptual proposal in response to calls from the mayor of Paris and Notre-Dame's rector, Bishop Patrick Chauvet, to create a temporary structure for the site.

Replicated to the same dimensions as Notre-Dame to ensure familiarity, tthe temporary structure is reminiscent of the structural rhythms and forms of the Gothic cathedral. With a roof constructed out of ETFE cushions and walls made up of translucent polycarbonate, the temporary structure will be flooded with natural light, emphasising the ethereal quality of the space whilst creating visual relief.

Behind the altar, movable panels will be installed that will allow for a full view of Notre-Dame. Gensler’s design also includes rotating panels at ground level that can be positioned to open or close the edge of the structure to mirror the configuration of the cathedral for mass services or be moved to seamlessly open up the space for performances or as a marketplace.

French president Emmanuel Macron announced Competition to Rebuild Notre Dame’s spire in just five years, in time for the Paris 2025 Olympic Games.

Gensler was founded in 1965 by Art and Drue Gensler, along with James Follett. In December 2018 the practice completed the Ford Foundation’s New York City Headquarters renovation.

Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has also designed a temporary chapel to hold visitors and religious events face to Notre Dame Cathedral façade in Paris.

Interior view, rendering. The design provides a space for worshippers. Temporary Pavillon Notre‑Dame by Gensler. Image Courtesy of Brick Visual

Interior view, rendering. The space will serve also as a place for the community to gather. Temporary Pavillon Notre‑Dame by Gensler. Image Courtesy of Brick Visual

Interior view, rendering. Temporary Pavillon Notre‑Dame by Gensler. Image Courtesy of Brick Visual

Overview, rendering. Temporary Pavillon Notre‑Dame by Gensler. Image Courtesy of Brick Visual.

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More information

Diane Hoskins, Andy Cohen. GENSLER

Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 46 locations and more than 5,000 professionals networked across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and the Americas. Founded in 1965, the firm serves more than 3,500 active clients in virtually every industry. Gensler designers strive to make the places people live, work and play more inspiring, more resilient, and more impactful.

Arthur Gensler Jr., FAIA, FIIDA, RIBA (1935—2021) founded the firm in 1965 together with his wife Drue and their colleague James Follet. He was widely credited with elevating the practice of interior design to professional standing. He was a Fellow of both the American Institute of Architects and the International Interior Design Association and a professional member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Art graduated from Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning and was a member of its Advisory Council. A charter member of Interior Design magazine’s Hall of Fame and a recipient of IIDA’s Star Award, he also received Ernst & Young LLP’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 2015, he wrote Art’s Principles to offer entrepreneurs the business insights he wished someone had given him when he was starting out.

Arthur Gensler was recognized as an industry icon and an astute businessman who propelled a small practice into the largest and most admired firm in the industry over the course of his 65-year career.

Diane Hoskins and Andy Cohen are Gensler Co-Chairs. Since 2005, they have been collaborative partners, overseeing the long-term strategy and day-to-day operations of the global practice known for its award-winning design innovation and research. Under their strategic guidance, Gensler has organically grown with some 6,000 people networked across 57 offices around the world, serving more than 3,500 clients in over 100 countries.

Andy and Diane are regularly sought out by top-tier publications including CNN, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Fortune, among others, and are frequently invited to speak at premier conferences and events, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference, UN-Habitat, Urban Land Institute annual meetings, and more. They are champions of the power of design to create a better world and enrich the human experience.

Published on: July 31, 2019

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