Castle review thread.

[Montegriffo]

English Heritage video release of this years summer solstice at Stonehenge.

[Montegriffo]

I just found the documentary which first got me interested in trebuchets.
Still the best one I've seen.
I challenge you to watch this and not want to build your own.

[C-Mag]

Notre-Dame came far closer to collapsing than people knew. This is how it was saved.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... auddevgate

[Montegriffo]

Notre-Dame came far closer to collapsing than people knew. This is how it was saved.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... auddevgate

Good article.

[C-Mag]

Graphics are awesome, and I loved the Firefighters notebook

[C-Mag]

The initial steps of a modern restoration project are underway. But it doesn't look like much has been done that looks like restoration.

The crews are still removing debris. That removal was paused for 10 days due to lead remediation, article linked below. The article doesn't address why there was lead in the cathedral, it's lazy reporting with no ambition to learn something or pass on knowledge to readers.

Lead was used primarily as a sealant in building construction, through the 1960s. Stained Glass windows of course, but also on metal roofs, gutters and plumbing pipes. Notre Dame had sheet lead roofing. It's extremely heavy, 16 pounds per square foot for heavy gauge sheeting.

Note: lead is still used in modern buildings, but is very expensive and used for premium construction. It will be interesting to see if they will use it again.
https://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Wo ... 361854.php

The fire was in mid April, one might wonder what has been going on. First step would be to stabilize the structure with temporary shoring and probably some emergency serious bracing, grouting of masonry, cable ties, etc. In the 21st C, they probably spent a couple weeks surveying the entire structure with a GPS total station to build a 3D rendering of everything. This would allow them to see what walls and are really doing, is the structure square, etc.

There is a team of engineers and technical specialists making plans on how to first re-establish structural integrity, then really getting down to rebuilding. The engineers are also making material estimates, plus a team of logistics people acquiring the materials to be used, contracting, etc.

Politics are causing trouble
Despite all this Catholic services have resumed in the massive structure. Almost predictably, the Macron's government has taken control of everything going on with Notre Dame and the Catholic church has been left completely out of the restoration. While Macron publicly stated that it would be restored to original, he's been pushing modern materials, methods and designs. Which in my mind would be a travesty, and lazy. The French Senate is pushing for a full on historical restoration.

The distrust starting while the fire was still burning when the Macron admin declared the fire an accident. To this date we still don't know if it was an accident or arson.
https://www.ntd.com/catholic-groups-spe ... 53628.html


EDIT: Just found this
Fortunately for the Notre Dame Cathedral, architectural historian Andrew Tallon used a 3D laser scanner to map the entire structure in 2015, thereby creating a precise image of the building in digital format. This detailed scan will be used to provide the foundation of the entire rebuilding and restoration project.

Bad News
It appears Macron is determined to immortalize himself by putting his stamp on Notre Dame. Macron has created a new agency, and played fuckery games with laws to make himself the sole person in charge of the restoration.
https://archinect.com/news/article/1501 ... ail-nuance

[TheReal_ND]

I saw a standing stone wall building that could have been 500 years old once. When I see that type of stuff it makes me wonder if we could still build like that.

I actually don't know what it was it could have been a fort a house or a church. It was just sitting there the roof and everything gone except the walls.

[C-Mag]

Site with a lot of pics of the stabilization and clean up. Robots being used in the clean up too.
https://www.news18.com/photogallery/wor ... 61-22.html

[Montegriffo]

The distrust starting while the fire was still burning when the Macron admin declared the fire an accident. To this date we still don't know if it was an accident or arson.

My money is on the Vikings, they've got previous form in this type of outrage...

[C-Mag]

The distrust starting while the fire was still burning when the Macron admin declared the fire an accident. To this date we still don't know if it was an accident or arson.

My money is on the Vikings, they've got previous form in this type of outrage...

When was that, like 970 when the Vikings took Paris ?

How are you feeling about the idea that they may not used historical methods and materials ?