Now that construction is nearing completion, the team has been discussing the final plan for the landscape around the chapel. Initially, the idea was to have some type of cross pattern made up of the engraved bricks in a path leading up to the doors of the chapel. We have since come to realize that a cross pattern may not be the best solution. First, the location of the chapel doors is perpendicular to the walkway to the main church. No matter which way we looked at it, it could be perceived as facing the wrong way. Was West or South the right way? Secondly, we wanted to tie the landscape plan of the chapel into a new master plan for the landscape of the entire campus. We know that we want to continue to offer the engraved bricks to people to memorialize someone they love and/or show their support after the chapel is built so after thinking, researching, sketching, and standing in the space and thinking some more, we came up with an alternate plan. With the idea that cancer is a journey, we came up with a design featuring a curved garden path. We discovered several advantages to the pathway: 1. More bricks could be added than the cross pattern and the blank bricks would be easier to remove and replace with engraved ones. 2. It encourages people to walk the path and use it as a mediation and metaphor for their own journeys. 3. It helps people to be a part of the garden - rather than just an outsider looking in. 4. The path will curve around and also lead to the main church. 5. There will be benches and grassy areas so that people can socialize or find a quiet place to sit. 6. We are going to place a substantial crucifix in the chapel and it seemed like we were using the cross motif too many times in a very small area (in the pathway, on the dome, on the exterior walls of the chapel, on an interior door in the church, on the interior walls, and then a very large crucifix on the wall inside).
As we revised the path, we also looked very carefully at the plants. Except for the small areas of grass, all of the plants that we chose were listed as drought tolerant - low water use plants so that we can conserve water. We chose plants that were easy to maintain, had low litter, smelled good, and looked pretty. We have an area on the west side of the chapel reserved for a Native American garden. This will be designed with the input of the American Indian tribes in Arizona. There is a huge need for cancer support in their communities and we want them to feel comfortable coming to us if they need us. Take a look at the designs and let us know what you think. We even added a pot of Chocolate Flowers near the chapel doors so that people wouldn't have to bend over to smell their chocolate scent. (And yes, it is true - there really is a flower called the Chocolate Flower - and it really does smell like chocolate - and it is native to Arizona!) (If you are not familiar with the other design idea - the cross design - you can view it at
www.cancershrine.org
