Labyrinths in the Landscape - Who Is Recommending Who Is Using and Are There Benefits - A Thesis by William Skeet Norton (2008).pdf

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LABYRINTHS IN THE LANDSCAPE:
WHO IS RECOMMENDING,
WHO IS USING, AND ARE
THERE BENEFITS?
by
WILLIAM SKEET NORTON
Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of
The University of Texas at Arlington in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements
for the Degree of
MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON
December 2008
Copyright 2008 © by William Skeet Norton
All Rights Reserved
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I first like to thank my wife, Niki, for all of her patience while I pursued my degree. She
has supported me through all of my endeavors and has made this career opportunity possible for
me. Niki has endured many lonely nights while I worked in the studio, and many weekends
entertaining herself while I was on field trips or working on homework. She was a tremendous
help in completing this thesis by keeping me organized and transcribing my interviews.
I thank Mr. David D. Hopman, my thesis Chair, for all of his advice and guidance. He
made himself available to me on a daily basis, and I am most certain that my many questions and
surprise visits to his office for advice become a nuisance. I thank Mr. Hopman for putting up with
my many changes of thesis topics until finally deciding on this one. Our weekly meetings were
very encouraging and I have said before that our meetings felt more like therapy sessions where
he encouraged me to push on and write, write, write.
I also thank my committee members, Dr. Pat D. Taylor and Dr. Taner R. Ozdil. Dr. Taylor
provided guidance through the program and assistance in making certain I stayed on track. Dr.
Ozdil provided valuable advice in regards to this thesis as well as guidance in the studio.
I also acknowledge Professors Gary Robinette, John Fain, and Jim Richards. I thank
Gary Robinette for his belief in me and encouraging me to attend the Mike Lin workshop, which
certainly changed my life. I thank John Fain for all of his practical advice and knowledge about
earthwork and park planning. I thank Jim Richards for his encouragement and support and the
fresh approach he brought to design and drawing.
I thank my employers at Mycoskie McInnis Associates (MMA) and at Site Planning Site
Design (SPSD) for their support and understanding while I worked and pursued this degree. I
thank Cliff Mycoskie and Stewart Garrison for allowing me to be a part of their companies as I
have learned so much. I thank Brad Waters for his guidance, understanding, and support. I
thank Mike Watson for his knowledge and training. I thank Duwaine Joiner for his tremendous
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ability to train and explain. There are no words to describe how much Duwaine has taught me. I
also thank Jordan Mycoskie for being a great friend and comrade. I have learned so much about
the profession by working with this amazing team of designers, project managers, and estimators.
Lastly, I thank all of my friends and colleagues I have met while in this program. It is nice
to have studio mates who are dependable and always willing to help whenever help is needed. I
have made some lifelong friends while getting this degree.
November 24, 2008
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ABSTRACT
LABYRINTHS IN THE LANDSCAPE:
WHO IS RECOMMENDING,
WHO IS USING, AND ARE
THERE BENEFITS?
William Skeet Norton, MLA
The University of Texas at Arlington, 2008
Supervising Professor: David D. Hopman
The labyrinth is a symbol known to exist for at least for four thousand years. It has been used in
many cultures and religions throughout its existence as a symbol for the journey of life, a sacred space to
pray, and a place of meditation and contemplation. After several hundred years of absence, the labyrinth
is regaining popularity in modern cultures and religions, and is thought to be beneficial to the mind, body,
and spirit. Many of the contemporary labyrinths are in the outdoor-built environment. This research
assists landscape architects in understanding who is recommending labyrinths, using labyrinths, and the
benefits of labyrinths.
Literature on the subject of the labyrinth is investigated to understand current research about the
labyrinth and its history, forms, materials, uses, benefits, and users. The literature explores and suggests
ideas for future research related to labyrinths and the practice of landscape architecture.
A qualitative approach is applied to this research. In-depth interviews were conducted with
twelve key informants at five study sites in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area. Labyrinths at two
hospital
settings,
two
church
settings,
and
one
college
campus
were
chosen
for
study.
The data, analyzed qualitatively, revealed that the people who commission labyrinth projects
have a very specific knowledge of the subject and are seeking to enhance their organization by
providing an interfaith space for walking meditation, contemplation, and relaxation. The users can be
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