Notre-Dame de Paris and Assassin’s Creed: Unity — Reconstitution or Rumors?

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On the evening of April 15th, 2019, the world watched in horror as Notre-Dame, one of the most iconic landmarks in Paris, was engulfed in flames. The fire completely destroyed the wooden roof. Amid the aftermath and the ashes, the name Assassin’s Creed: Unity began to circulate. It was a 2014 video game from Ubisoft. People were talking about that particular title because it is renowned for meticulously depicting how Paris looked in the 18th century. Many people at this point were even stating that the game would be a great reference point for re-building the cathedral.

The software provider (Ubisoft) at the time came out to say that it was donating €500,00 to help with the reconstruction and restoration of the cathedral. It even called out people who were interested in donating to follow suit. Additionally, the company also gave out Assassin’s Creed- Unity for free on PC for a week to give people a chance to experience the beauty and majesty of Notre-Dame before the tragedy. It was interesting for ordinary people and gamers, including those who like casino games from operators like Vulkan Vegas and many others. Did these efforts bear much fruit? Get to know below whether a reconstitution is going on or whether the restoration plans based on the game are still rumors.

Reconstruction Plans

With or without the influence of Assassin’s Creed: Unity, there were already plans to rebuild the iconic cathedral. After the fateful event, Emmanuel Macron, the French President, pledged that the marvel of Gothic architecture would take about 5 years to be rebuilt. He stated that the new structure would be “more beautiful than before.” The President affirmed that architects and conservation experts in France and worldwide would be looking to both new and old technology to complete the task. Before anything started, detailed surveys of the damage were conducted to know the extent of the damage and also know the way forward. It was an essential step, seeing that the Notre-Dame was one of the most celebrated and oldest Gothic structures in France.

Would the Game Come in Handy During Reconstruction?

As aforementioned; there was a lot of talk on how digital technologies would help in the reconstruction process. Assassin’s Creed: Unity was at the top of the list with different people saying how it would be helpful to conservationists and architects. Caroline Miousse, the title’s artist, said she spent more than 12 months making a detailed recreation of the cathedral. While this was a decent proposal, some experts were quick to dismiss the idea:

  • Maxime Durant, a historian who had worked on the game, was on record saying that the designer had worked with some “artistic liberties”;
  • Cedric Gachaud, the head of Life3D, the firm that modeled the cathedral for the renovation task, said that while the game-makers had done a great job, a model based on maps and photographs was not accurate enough for the job. He continued to say that it was because they were looking for millimetric precision working with data analysts and engineers; rather than coherent visuals.

Professionals also stated that various high-tech tools will prove helpful in the process. Note that Notre-Dame was very famous, welcoming 12 million visitors annually, and is in the books as one of the most photographed buildings in the globe. It implies that photographs, especially the high-resolution ones, would be vital in rebuilding. Drone images would also be quite helpful. It is because they can be used together with AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms to create accurate 3-D models and maps using photogrammetry.

Some experts were also of the idea that maintenance specialists should also be using old technology seeing that medieval engineering allowed the structure to stand for 850 years. Areas where medieval techniques would take precedence are stained glass, carpentry, and stonemasonry. Many agreed that the people in charge of reconstruction should focus on care instead of speed.

Five Years After the Fire

In 2024, construction work is still ongoing at Notre-Dame, and there are hopes that by the end of the year, there will be an official public reopening. To date, there is no clear answer to what actually caused the fire. Speculations are that it may have been an electrical short or a cigarette left burning that may have sparked the blaze.

In July 2024, CBC News got a chance to visit the building while construction was ongoing. On the day the team visited, hundreds of specialized craftspeople and laborers were busy working on the cathedral. In that month, the rebuilding work was estimated to be at over 90%, with the scaffolding remaining in place, including over 100,000 pieces of metal weighing hundreds of tons. The tools used to rebuild the roof span the ages. They include medieval techniques like forged axes, some from Montreal, and modern welding apparatus. Experts had to search through forests in France for the perfect oak trees for the rebuilding process. The repair cost is expected to be around 700 million euros. If things go according to plan, it will likely be opened in December 2024.

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