Enhancing Community with a Labyrinth

Many of our clients choose to site their outdoor labyrinths so that they attract neighborhood and community interest and use. At the end of 2013 we built a Chartres Replica paver brick labyrinth to replace the dilapidated courtyard at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon GA. This is their "front yard", occupying the space formed by their large U-shaped Gothic church campus buildings. Here's a photo taken during the build, facing out to Mulberry Street from the main door:

And here's a shot after a light snowfall in 2014, showing the Celtic Cross framing in charcoal pavers, the integration to the ADA wheelchair access ramp (top to the right of the building entry) and the wide and inviting pathway from the street (lower right):

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Recently the labyrinth was featured in the blog for the Knight Foundation, a group dedicated to community development and engagement. The labyrinth is used during street festivals, the local farmers market, and other activities, such as the summer 2014 Vacation Bible School pictured below:

While siting a labyrinth in a quiet, contemplative location is often the first instinct, many churches, health care facilities and other institutions are choosing instead to make their labyrinth installations an invitation to the wider community. Letting folks experience your labyrinth on their own terms may be the best way to fulfill your outreach goals. 

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