Flying Buttresses and Their Significance in the Structural System Utilized at the Notre Dame Cathedral - Essay Example

Even though scholars mention the flying buttress in the late Gothic period, it was until the mid 19th century (1858) that Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Du, a French theorist and architect discussed in details its significance in buildings. Georg Ungerwitter later used graphic statistics towards the late 19th century devoting his effort to the role of flying buttress to the Gothic buildings. Notre Dame Cathedral located on eastern part of Ile de la Cite, Paris France, is the most notable and among the first Gothic buildings in the world to employ the flying buttress, according to Toker (31).

This paper seeks to explore the structural significance of flying buttress in Notre Dame Cathedral. Flying Buttress Flying buttress, according to Dietsch, is a masonry structure consisting of a bar that inclines and carried a half arch extending from upper section of a wall to piers (7). Flying buttress mainly carries the vault or the roof and is mainly associated with the Gothic architecture. Flying buttress plays a crucial role in a building in the sense that it provides resistance to the lateral forces thrusting a wall outwards.

In this case, flying buttress provides strong resistance by redirecting the lateral forces to the ground, notes Dietsch (8). . The centering plays a crucial role of proving support to the weight of the building materials used on the walls such as stones, as well as maintain the arch’s shape until that time that the mortar dries up. Carpenters first construct the centering on the ground after which it is hoisted into position and tightened to the piers at both end of buttress. According to Dietsch, the centering is used as temporary flying buttress until the completion of the actual stone arch (9).

Analysis of the use of flying buttress in the Notre Dame Cathedral Paris Kleiner claims that the Notre Dame Cathedral Paris is one of the most famous and among the first ever buildings of the Gothic era to use the flying buttress (468). Used as the Catholic diocese of Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral signifies the greatest example of the French Gothic architecture in the world. Kleiner reveals that the building was saved from the verge of collapse during the French Revolution by the French theorist and architect Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Du (468).

The construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral spans the Gothic period. The structure of the building shows the great influence of naturalism seen in the manner its stained classes and sculptures are built. As earlier stated, Notre Dame Cathedral Paris was among the first buildings to employ flying buttress. According to Toker, the building was not originally designed to have flying buttress around the naves and choir (32). However, after the beginning of its construction, its thinner walls began growing higher.

This created a lot of stress resulting in the development of fractures on the walls. To strengthen the walls and the entire structure, architects introduced flying buttress around the outside walls to provide support to the building structure