The Frederic & Margaret Wallis Labyrinth

This pamphlet tells the story of how we developed our labyrinth.
Other pamphlets cover An Historic Background To Labyrinths and Guidelines For Walking The Labyrinth.

How We Developed Our Labyrinth

In February 1997 the Frederic Wallis House Committee gathered for a day of worship, work and planning for a celebration of the 60th anniversary of Wallis House. We were looking for a way of permanently marking this milestone in our history, and it was suggested that we build a labyrinth in the garden.

One member of the Community had previously walked a portable labyrinth, and two newer members had visited Grace Cathedral in San Francisco on their way out to New Zealand. At Grace Cathedral two labyrinths have been developed in the last 10 years, and it had become the centre of a growing resurgence of interest in the Christian context and use of labyrinths.

In order to explore the idea further, we borrowed a portable labyrinth and laid it under the tulip tree one moonlit evening for everyone to walk. A "Labyrinth Seed Kit" was then obtained from Grace Cathedral, and library books on the subject began to pile up. The more we discovered, the more our enthusiasm grew, and the House Committee was in unanimous agreement that the construction of a labyrinth in the garden would be a wonderful way of celebrating our past and creating something exciting and new for the future. It would be a first for New Zealand!

The aims were to provide:
-- a tool for prayer and meditation
-- a work of art which enhanced the beauty of the garden
-- a project which everyone could participate in

A work group was established to make all this happen.

Proposals
We looked at a number of labyrinth patterns, and chose the beautiful and intricate medieval Christian design of Chartres Cathedral which had already been used to good effect at Grace Cathedral. The shapes and patterns are full of symbolism and meaning. The sunken garden was selected as the ideal site, being circular, central and already serviced by pathways and lighting. The labyrinth at Chartres is 42 feet in diameter, but we had space for 41 feet (12.5 metres) on the site so we planned a slightly scaled down replica which would remain geometrically proportional.

The search for the right materials was a long one. We considered painting the lines onto the existing pavers or asphalt or marking the pattern with stones and shells, and we also looked at a new technique which involved imprinting the design into asphalt. These solutions were functional but just did not fire our imagination. After months of searching a Community member opened a local newspaper and spotted a photograph of a colourful mosaic made from ceramic tiles. We tracked down the designer, who turned out to be a Landscape Architect in Wellington, and commissioned her to come up with a modern interpretation of the labyrinth with a New Zealand flavour.

Our Landscape Architect came back with the proposal to use a brightly coloured tile mosaic to define the pathways, with plaster in between. The 6-petalled flower at the centre would be given a distinctive yet natural look by using slabs of macrocarpa. A formal presentation was made to the House Committee and on this basis the decision was made to proceed with the work.

Getting Under Way
The prospect of laying so many tile pieces was daunting, even at the initial estimate of 350 volunteer hours, but the concept was so exciting that we all instinctively felt this was the way forward.

The colours of the tiles were chosen carefully to reflect the surrounding trees and plants and be in harmony with the setting - rich blues and greens with splashes of cream, yellow, red, purple and terracotta.

Tiles were sourced from local suppliers, and professionals were appointed to develop the concrete base, macrocarpa slabs, and plastering. We began to contact our Friends network to enlist the volunteer support we needed.

The Wooden Centre
In the early part of 1998 a small team spent hours crawling around the chapel floor taping pieces of paper together to make a sheet large enough for a template for the 6-petalled flower at the centre. Pooling our engineering, trigonometry and drawing expertise, we wrestled with plans, tape measures and long pieces of string deep into the night. After two attempts we were delighted when we finally produced a full-sized layout within 3 millimetres of the scaled plan.

The pattern was divided into 21 pieces for cutting, including a small circle in the middle to avoid the inherent instability of a set of very narrow triangular points. A local saw mill then used our template and a chain saw with impressive accuracy to cut through the 75mm macrocarpa to create the 21 slabs of wood. Part way through the work the saw mill was broken into and all their tools were stolen. Undaunted, they hired replacement tools to finish the job, and the heavy slabs were delivered in May.

The wood was stacked to dry for 8 weeks before being treated with deck oil on the upper surface and several layers of preservative underneath. At this point we laid out all 21 pieces together on the floor for the first time, and as we put the final piece in place we saw that it had been bevelled on the reverse side - the emerald green preservative contrasted wildly with the oiled wood! However the saw mill were able to clean off the preservative and correct the problem in good time for installation.

The Concrete Base
In May 1998 the crab apple tree which stood at the centre was carefully moved to the orchard where it continues to thrive.

In July, between frequent rain showers, our concrete experts poured the base. It was put together in 8 sections with reinforcement, using the same principles which are applied in reservoir construction to ensure minimal cracking and better protection against earthquakes.

Once the concrete had cured the macrocarpa slabs were set in position to create a stunning centrepiece. Great care was needed to ensure that the pieces were all level, and at times this involved adjusting each balancing screw one turn at a time.

Marking Out
The pattern of the Chartres labyrinth is complex, with many significant numbers and symbols incorporated into the design. Medieval architects used geometry in 3 ways:
-- manifest - the 6-petalled rose symbolising love and our union with God as well as representing the Virgin Mary and the 6 days of creation
-- hidden - the invisible 13-point star which positions many features of the labyrinth design and represented Christ and the 12 disciples
-- symbolic - the circle for wholeness, creation and the unity of all things, also the centre of the circle is the perfect point of balance, the "still point"

Marking the design onto the concrete demanded a strong grasp of trigonometry and geometry. A member of the team with engineering skills designed and built an innovative tool for drawing the 11 concentric circles. We pushed the trammel over the concrete on our hands and knees in baking sun, pressing down on the pencils in 2 specially cut slots to enable us to draw parallel lines.

After some experimentation the circles were drawn to within 2-3 mm accuracy across the 12.5 metre diameter of the labyrinth. A total of 62 pencils were needed to draw over 600 metres of lines, and the lines then needed to be continually remarked by hand in vivid pen under the battering of Wellington wind and rain!<

Plywood templates were cut to enable us to draw the 1 2 hammerhead turns and the 114 lunations which represent 4 lunar cycles (1.5 are unseen due to the entrance path).

Laying the Mosaic
Our Landscape Architect came up with a wonderful colour scheme involving 4 combinations of colour for distinctive areas of the labyrinth pattern. She also enlisted the help of a tiling specialist to guide us.

We have used nearly 800 tiles in 23 colours broken into approximately 22,000 pieces. Each tile was broken by hand, using a hammer and safety goggles, and the pieces arranged on trays. It was vital to keep the tile colours separated so that we could all find the sizes and shapes needed as we worked to create the intricate mosaic.

People arranged themselves on their hands and knees around the labyrinth, each working on a small area of 2 hands breadth. The tiling process involved carefully selecting and placing tile pieces one by one. It was important to experiment with colour and shape combinations to achieve clean edges and a good colour balance, and this took great patience and concentration. It was tiring but also very absorbing and creative work. Once an area of tiles had been arranged and a "second pair of eyes" had checked the detail, adhesive was spread onto the back of each tile before pressing it into position. Some of the tiles are significantly thicker than others so it was necessary to pad the thinner tiles with more adhesive to achieve a consistent tile height.

A charcoal coloured grout, messy to handle, was applied between the tiles. Despite the protection of old clothes and rubber gloves we still got covered in black dust. Once the grout began to dry each tile had to be individually cleaned and polished. Sometimes lost tiles emerged as we rubbed, and it was a wonderful feeling to see the jewel-like beauty emerging.

Laying the mosaic was labour intensive, taking 1,000 hours and 8 months to complete. On many occasions progress was thwarted by inclement weather. A total of 65 people were involved - all ages, and a wonderfully diverse cross-section of Friends old and new, and the local community.

Plastering
Outdoor plaster was used for the pathways between the mosaic and around the outside of the labyrinth. Choosing the colour for the plaster nearly sent us cross-eyed as we stared at paint charts and plaster samples in more than 50 colours. We finally settled for a terracotta colour matched to one of the tile colours, to give a warm and natural feel.

A sample section of plaster was laid just before one House Committee meeting so that everyone could inspect the colour. All Pilgrim Community members, cats and other nearby pets were warned and kept from the delicate plasterwork. However, when our Vice President came to admire the handiwork she trod right in the middle of it!

The plastering work was severely hampered by adverse weather, and had to be delayed until the beginning of August. Every day we watched the skies anxiously, and then the roads for signs of plasterers arriving. The tiles were taped for protection before plaster was applied over the entire surface. There were many frustrations to overcome, but just a short time before the opening a final coat of sealant was applied, darkening the colour to the required hue, and giving that finishing touch to the beauty of our labyrinth.

Raising the Money
We began the fund raising with a "buy a step" idea for Friends and guests. Since then we have received donations from individuals, groups, a generous legacy and several significant grants. Fundraising activities have included a celebrity auction, sausage sizzles, and sales of homemade preserves. A lovely bone carving of the labyrinth was made for us by a prisoner at Rimutaka Prison, and was raffled at the opening. The total cost of the project has yet to be finalised, but will be between $29,000 and $30,000.

The Result.
Professionals and volunteers have worked together in a spirit of cooperation and enthusiasm, pooling ideas, knowledge and skills. As one of the professionals said on site one day "We've never done a labyrinth before!", but the Kiwi 'can do' mentality has prevailed to conquer the many challenges. Our Book of Contributors is a permanent record of everyone who has been involved, and a video of the project has also been gifted to the House.

The project has taken 2.5 years from its inception in February 1997 to the opening. and dedication service on Saturday 4th September 1999. We are proud to say that together we have created the first permanent outdoor labyrinth in New Zealand. Our hope is that the labyrinth will enrich our guests and our local community as a sacred place of prayer and meditation for years to come.