A competition is underway to find alternative designs for the new roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in defiance of the French senate’s intention to restore the roof exactly as it was before the fire.

Following the devastating fire that destroyed the wooden roof earlier this year, French prime minister Edouard Philippe invited architects to design a replacement that is “adapted to the techniques and challenges of our era“.

Despite a flood of creative and progressive designs, it now seems unlikely that the new roof will meet Mr Philippe’s request as the French senate recently amended the government’s restoration bill so that it now states that the roof must be restored exactly as it was before the fire.

If this amendment is approved by the National Assembly of France then all hope for a different roof will be lost.

Among those holding out hope are publishers GoArchitect, who have launched the People’s Notre Dame Cathedral Design Competition which is inviting architects to enter their designs for the new roof, no matter how outlandish.

The competition is open until 30 June, at which point the designs will be put to a public vote.

GoArchitect intends to encourage the French government to consider all of the designs and they think that it is most important that the public is involved in choosing the new roof.

“It would be a terrible loss to the democracy of design if the French senate closes the door to the debate and exploration of the future of Notre Dame,” says Joshua Sanabria, the CEO of GoArchitect.

“We have all been inspired by Notre Dame because it was a cathedral for the people, and its future should be influenced by the people."