Notre Dame to Be Preserved as a Digital Twin in Microsoft-Led Project

• Microsoft and Iconem will create a detailed digital replica of Notre Dame in partnership with the French Ministry of Culture.
• The model will permanently preserve the cathedral’s structure and history following its recent restoration.

Microsoft is launching a new cultural heritage initiative in Paris this fall, partnering with the French Ministry of Culture and Iconem to digitally replicate Notre Dame Cathedral. The announcement builds on Microsoft’s Culture AI program, which has used artificial intelligence to preserve historic sites around the world since 2019.

The project will capture Notre Dame’s structure and design using detailed imaging methods refined in a previous collaboration on St. Peter’s Basilica. The model will include the cathedral’s architecture and symbolism, with plans to use it for preservation work and public display.

Microsoft will donate the final replica to the French state, with plans to display it at the Musée Notre Dame de Paris. The effort ensures that the cathedral, restored after the 2019 fire, is digitally preserved for future generations.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

By preserving the real world in digital form, spatial technology opens new possibilities, including supporting virtual tourism, aiding planning, advancing historical research, and creating lasting records of today’s physical reality.

Source: Microsoft