Indiana
Valparaiso
Valparaiso University Labyrinth
Design collaboration with Robert Ferré

By Robert Ferré, Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC

A few years ago Valparaiso University rented one of our canvas labyrinths for lent. One of the people who enjoyed walking it was a student named Nicole Unrath. Nicole graduated in June of 2003 and became a grade school teacher. Sadly, that September, she was killed in an auto accident.

In considering a suitable memorial, the Unrath family decided that a labyrinth would be appropriate. The path from conception to realization was a two year journey as convoluted as the paths of the labyrinth itself. In the end, with Marty Kermeen as the installer, we designed and executed a unique labyrinth.

The design was created by John Unrath, brother to Nicole and currently a student at VU. It is 72 feet across, yet only five circuits (five concentric circles). It incorporated some of the features of designs that we had submitted, including circular "chapels" around the perimeter. It was built on the remains of an unused "amphitheater" on the east side of the Chapel of the Ressurection, a landmark architectural feature of the campus.

In writing to me regarding the memorial labyrinth for their daughter, the donors would sign at the bottom of their emails,"Tom, Anita, John, and Nicole from Heaven." Very touching.

The paths of the labyrinth are 40 inches wide so as to accommodate wheelchairs or two people walking side by side or passing in opposite directions. Between the paths is one foot of open space for plantings. All of the walkways have a one-inch lip along the edge to make it possible for sight-challenged people to follow the path with a cane.

By the time of the dedication, it was October, with no plans to further landscape until spring. So some of the open spaces were temporarily filled with gravel. Then, a number of "I Am" scriptural verses were added on small limestone blocks. While it was a long path designing and building the labyrinth, it is very satisfying to have the opportunity to build a labyrinth on this kind of scale. We are happy to hear that the labyrinth has become a popular resource in the spiritual lives of many students, faculty, and visitors. The labyrinth is a fitting memorial to a young woman who personified the spiritual vitality the university has long fostered.

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