UA Little Rock Student Spends Memorable Summer Studying Notre Dame’s Restoration and History
A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student spent the summer immersing himself in the rich history and intricate restoration efforts surrounding the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral.
Adison Cummings, a senior double majoring in architectural engineering and civil engineering from Texarkana, Arkansas, spent two months in Paris studying Notre Dame with eight students from the United States.
Notre Dame, one of the world’s finest examples of gothic architecture, was heavily damaged by a fire on April 15, 2019. The inside of Notre Dame will reopen in December, while the exterior is expected to take several more years until it is completed.
“One of our professors has been working on the restoration of Notre Dame and taught us about the process and how they dealt with working through COVID,” Cummings said. “Another professor has a degree in Gothic architecture and taught us about the history of Notre Dame and other gothic cathedrals in Paris. A third professor is an artist who helped us come up with our own ideas for the restoration of the cathedral.”
As part of their project, Cummings teamed up with two students to create a model to present their own ideas for the restoration of Notre Dame. Their team proposed adding a bridge connecting the two front towers as well as a circular garden in front of the cathedral.
“Everything we suggested was something that had been considered being added to Notre Dame throughout its history,” Cummings said. “The cathedral has been changed over time.”
Through this unique study abroad experience, Cummings gained firsthand insights into the preservation of one of the world’s most cherished landmarks. After spending all summer studying the detailed plans of the $900 million restoration project, Cummings is interested in putting this knowledge to use by pursuing a master’s degree in architecture after graduating in May 2025.
“I have an appreciation for historical architecture, but I had never gotten to see much of it beyond 200-year-old buildings in America,” Cummings said. “I got to see structures that date back to the 11th century and see the beauty and science behind them. There is a lot of inspiration out there when it comes to architecture. I am looking forward to getting my master’s degree in architecture when I have the knowledge of an engineer.”
Cummings also visited beautiful sites like the Palace of Versailles, Mont Saint-Michel, a tidal island and ancient castle, and the medieval town of Provins.
Cummings flew home from Paris July 26, the day of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics. He didn’t get to see any of the events in person, but did remark that seeing the Olympic rings over the Eiffel Tower was his favorite part of the trip.
“Even though it had nothing to do with my study abroad program, I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see such an iconic landmark be made over for an event that hadn’t happened in Paris for over 100 years,” he said.
