Wisconsin Builder


Matching design with talent

By Caley Clinton • Mar 15th, 2010 • Category: Builder Now Daily Blog

Joe Cutich has a lot of time on his hands.

Joe Cutich holds up a single matchstick of the kind he used to build a replica of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It took Cutich five months to complete the structure. (AP Photo/The Ashland Daily Press, Rick Olivo)

Joe Cutich holds up a single matchstick of the kind he used to build a replica of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It took Cutich five months to complete the structure. (AP Photo/The Ashland Daily Press, Rick Olivo)

Too much time, some may say, but I disagree.

The 80-year-old retiree from Mason recently completed a painstaking replica of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, made entirely of matchsticks.

Cutich said he began doing matchstick construction projects after he lost his wife, Rita, three years ago. It took him seven months to complete, and looking at the beautiful finished product, I’d have to say that was time fairly well spent.

The man’s 80 years old — where else does he have to be?

The growing art — as its lovingly refereed to by devotees — of matchitecture has become a worldwide phenomenon since its creation in the early 90s.

What a creative and beautiful way to further interest in architecture. In these days of virtual everything, I think it’s refreshing that there are people out there building replicas of the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower and even a world-record setting reproduction of a North Sea oil platform.

With the help of a computer, nearly anyone can draw up a digital design. It takes a lot more patience, and artistry, to create a building out of matchsticks.

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Caley Clinton is the editor of Wisconsin Builder magazine. You can follow Caley and Wisconsin Builder magazine on Twitter for daily links, news and more.
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