notre-Dame goes digital: Microsoft and Iconem to build AI replica
Teaming up with Iconem and France’s Ministry of Culture, Microsoft has just announced that it will be creating a digital twin of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The initiative builds on Microsoft’s ongoing engagement with advanced technologies in convergence with cultural heritage, and will make use of drones, lasers, and photographic imaging combined with AI algorithms to produce a hyper-precise virtual replica. The model of the 862-year-old Gothic landmark, one of the most visited sites in the French capital, will be accurate down to the centimeter as it captures every carved detail, mosaic, and architectural nuance.
This move seems particularly resonant given the structure’s devastation from the 2019 fires and the ensuing five-year-long restoration period, urging conversations around how such regenerative practices and cultural preservation efforts may be streamlined in the future using technology.
image by Sebastien, via Unsplash | @_sebastien82
cultural preservation through AI and imaging
This latest effort follows Microsoft’s previouos digitization of the Roman St. Peter’s Basilica, evidencing how digital twins can support ongoing cultural preservation and maintenance, while showcasing how institutional engagement and learning can also be revitalized. In Notre-Dame’s case, the model will likewise support conservation experts by enabling detailed structural comparisons over time to closely track any deterioration or damage. Its extensive and accurate documentation can also make any future restoration much more efficient.
The technology will benefit various stakeholders, as Yves Ubelmann of the French startup Iconem noted. It will allow scholars and conservators to explore inaccessible parts of the cathedral, like the heights of vaulted ceilings and intricate facades. It can also ensure increased accessibility to the landmark for those across the world who may not yet be able to visit it in person. Upon completion, the project will result in a digital archive of the cathedral that will be donated to the state and it is expected to be displayed in the Musée Notre Dame de Paris which will is currently under development and will be open to the public in the coming years.
outside the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, image courtesy Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris
digitizing historic landmarks
This initiative is part of Microsoft’s wider Culture AI programme, which since 2019 has been working to digitally preserved global heritage sites, from Ancient Olympia in Greece and Mount Saint-Michel in France to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Notre-Dame digital twin will join those monuments, alongside efforts to digitize historical opera sets and library collections, reinforcing the role of AI in cultural research and access.
As part of the same announcement, Microsoft outlined additional commitments to boost multilingual AI capabilities in Europe, as well as other collaborations with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. This, in collaboration with Iconem, will digitize nearly 1,500 cinematic model sets from shows at the Opera National de Paris between 1800 and 1914. These models will be made available through educational platforms and exhibitions and as an accessible dataset.
image by Adrienn Heiszter, via Pexels | @adriheiszter
image courtesy of Notre-Dame de Paris
video still courtesy of Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris
video still courtesy of Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris
video still courtesy of Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris
project info:
name: Notre Dame Cathedral Digital Twin
developers: Microsoft | @microsoft, Iconem | @ic0nem
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