In 2019 Notre-Dame de Paris burned.
In 2021 Handshouse Studio lead a team of experts and students in Washington, DC
to reconstruct one of the trusses that once supported the roof of Notre Dame de Paris.
With the Help of our Collaborators, Handshouse Studio reconstructed Truss #6 of the notre-dame de paris cathedral in washington, DC in Summer 2021!
Handshouse has reconstructed Truss #6, one of the oldest trusses that once stood above the choir of Notre-Dame de Paris. The Handshouse Notre Dame Truss reconstruction was made using the official drawings created by the French lead architects, Rémi Fromont and Cédric Trentesaux. We followed French protocol passed down from the middle ages for timber harvesting, fabricating, assembly, tools, and raising techniques.
We believe collaboration is intrinsic to the effort to revive this iconic edifice and acknowledges the impact the loss of cultural heritage has on people around the world. It is a statement of solidarity with our fellow traditional crafts people and an act of goodwill among neighbors. We are so inspired by the all the incredible organizations that couragously joined this project with us; Charpentiers sans Frontières, The National Building Museum, The Catholic University of America, Historic Preservation Training Center of the National Park Service, The North Bennet Street School, Preservation Maryland, and Maison Luguet Alsace. We are indebted to the talented traditional carpenters, architechts, and makers, remarkble students, and intrepid volunteers who came out to work side-by-side, blistering hands in the DC summer sun to help recreate this beautiful piece of cultural heritage together. And we are so grateful to the many generous donors who gave to this ambitious endeavor!
A huge thanks to our project partners, the participants, and the many generous donors who made this project possible!
The 2021 Reconstruction workshop at The catholic university OF America /
From July 26 to August 4, The Handshouse Studio Notre Dame de Paris Truss Project workshop took place at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Bringing together a team of traditional carpenters from across the United State, and students including groups from Catholic University and the North Bennet Street School, the project team built a full-scale reconstruction of one of the oldest trusses that once stood above the Notre-Dame de Paris Choir using all traditional hand tools. Upon completion the truss was hand-raised in the shadow of the Basilica of The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Watch more videos on FaceBook page and Instagram.
Hand Raising the Truss on The National Mall/
On August 5th, the Handshouse Studio Notre-Dame de Paris truss #6 recontruction was transported to the National Mall, hand-raised for public viewing and exhibited for the day. This raising event was made possible by our collaboration with the National Park Service and Preservation Maryland, and we were joined by members of the Historic Preservation Training Center.
Watch videos on our FaceBook page and Instagram.
View the North Bennet Street School Webinar.
The Handshouse Notre Dame de Paris Truss #6 reconstruction displayed on the National Mall as seen from the National Monument.
Exhibition at the National Building Museum /
On August 6th, the Handshouse Studio truss #6 reconstruction was installed into the National Building Museum’s Great Hall in Washington, DC. Accompanied by Notre-Dame de Paris Truss Project drawings, models, and historic information assembled by project participants and collaborators. The exhibition remained until the end of September.
The Handshouse Notre Dame de Paris Truss #6 reconstruction assembled and ready for lifting for installation in the National Building Museum’s Great Hall.
The Model of “La Forêt” Project/
Catholic University students exhibition of progress and architectural research on the model of Notre Dame de Paris.
Handshouse Studio is organizing a national project to invite colleges and universities and their faculty and students to join us in building a large-scale wooden model of the oldest trusses in the roof structure above the Notre-Dame cathedral’s choir. In summer of 2021, the Catholic University of America offered a course, taught by Tonya Ohnstad AIA, NCAR, centered on this effort to explore the architectural history of Notre Dame through hands-on construction of the Model of “La Forêt.”
Participating Institutions:
The Catholic University of America, Washington DC
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Washington University, St Louis, MO
Virginia Tech (WAAC), Alexandria, VA
Project Partners /
Project Donors/
Irene Pletka
Alex &Betty Smith Donor Advised Endowment Fund
Clarence Smith Family Fund
Rick and Laura Brown
Mike and Cierra Weatherly
Amanda Brown
Patricia Hainer
Allison Jolly
Kendrick and Caryl Smith Charitable Fund
David DeGhetto
Nathan Spunt Family
jane Radocchia
Carter Thompson
Patrick Muckleroy
Brenda Baker
Deborah Sink
David Stewart
Brooke Goodwin
Janice Wormington
Paula Gauthier
Scott Carlson
Patrick Muckleroy
Cary Wolinsky
CS Goodwin Charitable Fund
Adriana Katzew
David Brody
Joel McCarty
Charles Anthony Stigliano
Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett
Daniel Kagay
Douglas Okun
Jean Lightman
David Blackwell
Alyssa Okun
Richard Wilkinson
Benjamin Cox
Barbara Lippman
Julia Jeffs
Peter Moriarty
Bill Quern
Barbara Wolinsky
Rebecca Sethi
Jacques Moore
Thomas Brodersen
Barclay Walsh
Gloria-Jean Brown
Penny Schwartz
Michael Lynch
Thomas Russell
Robert Zinsmeister
Allan Kauders
Edward Ryerson
Alvin Barshefsky
Jane Mangold
Audrey Tepper
Robert DeSimone
Robert Magner
Bryan Fischer
Logan Sears
Greg Wilson
Peter Bancroft
Gee Mcvey
Nan and David Partlett
John Miles
Drew Sims
Will Harris
Raleigh Mason
John Moncure
Adam Christie
Lyle Gillespie
Aaron Bennington
Kurt Rosenberger
Robbie Faulkner
Will Barry-Rec
Project Participants/
Alicia Spence
Gerald David
Mez Welch
Hank Silver
Jordan Finch
Miles Jenness
Ben Witman
Scott Carlson
Jackson Dubois
Adam Miller
Michael Cuba
John Nininger
Will Truax
Kevin Damon-Cronmi
Thomas Eldridge
Phillip Voyer
Michael Burrey
Sophie Linnell
Charlotte Wampold
Peter Henrikson
Dom Hosack
Blain Snipstal
Ethan Higgins
Phil Galluzzo
Andrew Rowand
Ross Beebe
Olivia Wiktor
Oz Grinager
Laura Viklund
Amber Samm
Mark Davidson
Mark Segro
Matt Doherty
Henry Newhard
Rob Duarte
Justin Brazier
Carling Nevan
Michael Turner
Elizabeth Pearson
Grigg Mullen
Grigg Mullen III
Nat Crosby
Moss Rudley
Matt Jeffs
Cailigh MacDonald
Luke Bruffee
Joel McCarty
Jake Hochendoner
Woody Tucker
Rian Brown Orso
Arturo Orso
Elana Meyers
Jacques Moore
Tonya Ohnstad
Lorenzo DeAlmeida
Jacob Chase
Adele Gedeo
Patrick Keating
Adithya Kidambi
Eddie Lapointe
Andrew Masison
John Mastrantoni
Michael Matthews
Samuel Merklein
Juan Soto
Sebastian Vandebeck
John Jones
Patrick Whalen
Timothy Farina
Kelsey Farina
Mitchell Ford
Abigail Sekely
