Although parts of Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral now lie in ruins, people can still experience what most of its nooks and crannies looked like in remarkable detail — thanks to an American art historian.
Even though Tallon died in December, his digital model will be crucial for restoration efforts because it details exactly what the church looked like before the fire’s destruction.
“If (restorers) have any questions about how it was built before, they can look at the scan and measure every single thing,” said Dan Edleson, principal of building information modeling firm STEREO. The scans are a “very accurate representation to the level that until a few years ago nobody could do.”
The Notre Dame Cathedral has been repeatedly modified over almost seven centuries, making the architectural history of the building difficult to follow. But through 3D laser scanning, Tallon unveiled the builders’ decisions and previously unknown characteristics of the majestic structure. For example, his scans showed that the interior columns at the western end of the cathedral do not line up.
