Cathédrale de Notre Dame

Since my apartment is right in the 3ème arrondissement, these first few days I've spent my time completely within the confines of the old Haussman-edited city. This may explain why upon arrival at the Notre Dame Cathedral, I was first struck by how out of place the shiny tower in the distance looked and only then by the size and detail of the cathedral.

The contrast reminds me a bit of the drama surrounding the building of the Hancock tower in good ol' brick, stone, and concrete Boston, except much more extreme.

Although 'contextual' is often subjective, it would be hard to argue that Notre Dame is not one with its context. Spatially, it is presented to the viewer by the openness around it that is partially afforded by its position within the Seine; it's a development on a whole list of preceding French cathedrals; and it has been a heavily charged political space physically representing the circumstances of the French people.