Angel Light

This garden design proposal describes the program scheme, initial garden design concept, and fundraising packet for Phase I of the Class of 1970 garden project titled Angel Light.  If approved, Phase I was to be followed by Phase II – Fundraising, Phase III – Collaboration with Campus Grounds/Facilities, Phase VI – Construction, Phase V – Celebratory Event.  Based upon discussions with Meredith Fund Administrator Erin Cleghorn and a review of the images supplied, the themes of Light-Reflection, Rope – Support, and Angel (Wings and Heart) – Hope emerged to guide the design.

Based upon several campus visits, photo documentation, and measurements of site area by Layne, the following also informed the garden space design.

• Employ Meredith Lake as backdrop
• South facing site requires shade in summer and no shade in winter
• Sound of moving water creates reflective environment
• Brick pathways offset by concrete pavers or bluestone in paved patio areas
• Multi-seasonal flowers used to soften hardscapes
• Integrate new garden space into surrounding open space landscape
• Connect to interconnecting pathway from amphitheater/island and picnic/parking area
• Include trash receptacles and drinking fountain
• Employ night lighting to spotlight path, trees, and water feature
• Suggest use of round central paved area with view lines to other campus features
• Contain several beds with lots of plants
• Incorporate an entry point
• Integrate direct access to Lake edge
• Define a small space to support one, a pair, or small group
• Mosaic (glass/stone) patterns included as a design accent
• Reflective of the topography of the nearby amphitheater, employ landform undulations as part of garden design
• Create a new form of memorial garden!

Divided into five parts and reflecting the supportive angel theme, this proposed sculptural landscape is basically a small meeting and meditation space that would sit along the northern shoreline of Meredith Lake.  Accessible via connecting pathways from both the Meredith Lake island/McIver Amphitheater and the picnic area/G-1 Parking lot, the concept provides for individual contemplation or study, as well as paired and small social or educational interactions.

Part I: Patios & Seat Wall

• The main area of the installation consists of two circular paved areas connected by a straight paved section.
• Inner Court – Designed to support individual reflection and paired or small group interaction, the smaller circular paved space is approximately 12 feet in diameter with curved seat walls edging the East and West edges. Concrete pavers and concrete stone blocks for the walls are employed to create this intimate space.
• Entry Court – Created using the same concrete pavers or Chapel Hill gravel and blocks to create surrounding 2 ½ feet high walls and seating area, this approximately 20 feet in diameter circular space invites the visitor into this garden. An alternative plan is to include a wrought iron fence at perimeter of entry court that would hold an image of the angel in a stain glass effect.
• A 5 feet wide pathway of concrete pavers with similarly high walls on either side connects the two courts.
• This memorial space is connected at the North end to the interconnecting pathway from parking lot and island with the other end of this three part paved space edging a grass lawn to the South.

Part II: Spheres & Rope Water Feature

• Supported by two submersible pumps located in Meredith Lake, the garden water feature consists of two recirculation pathways of water that move from the high point surrounding the entry court to the low point at the lake edge.
• Celestial Spheres – Representing the spirituality of the heavenly spheres and resting in a most prominent location, two sets of five spheres line the East and West edges of the entry court. Reflective of the iridescent glow and enclosing nature of a pearl necklace, the glass spheres radiate in descending size around the perimeter of the court. Of great value to the guiding theme, is that these glass spheres reflect the surrounding light.
• Water Pools – Created using butyl rubber and supported by concrete block walls, two elongated pools house the glass spheres. Situated at the upper end of a continuously recirculation rill of water, the outflow of the two pools begins the meditative sound-generating movement of water as it courses back into the lake
• Rope Pattern Streams (Rills) – Moving from the upper pools along raised beds located behind the two opposing seat walls and dropping to the level of the paving, the two streams run within rills at the outer edge of the lawn area, cascading over lake-side steps ending in round pools at base of steps. Glass marbles and colored stones are employing to create rope-patterned mosaics along the full length of the streams. As water moves over the stone and glass beads, their reflected colored light spotlights the linear and enclosing supportive nature of these rope lines.

Part III: Angel Wing Labyrinth

• Heart-Shaped Entry – Enhanced by the shape of the surrounding walls of the entry court, colored stones embedded in the paving outline the shape of the angel’s heart. From the heart-shaped entry court there are three possible thresholds from which to choose: straight ahead into the inner court and left or right into the wing-shaped labyrinths.
• Angel Icon – Extending the angel wing motif, wing-shaped earth forms were considered an appropriate way of extending the angel form within the garden design.
• Wing-shaped Labyrinths – Laid out on both sides of the main courts, turf covered earthen berms form the landscape into wing-shaped labyrinths. Entered from the entry court and exited onto the lawn area, paving stones create pathways for contemplation and the reduction of stress.
• A meditative goal would be to travel one wing labyrinth, cross over at the edge of the lawn, move through the other wing labyrinth, returning to the heart-shaped entry court.
• Located at the southern end of each labyrinth, the pathways span the small rope-shaped water rills as they run toward Meredith Lake.

Part IV: Nature’s Illumination: Seasonal Plantings

• Lake-side Lawn – Employing a manicured look reflective of many of the campus garden sites, a small area of lawn carries the eye from the inner court out over the lake. The use of turf insures that the rope rills are visible and easily maintained.

Part V: Connecting Pathway & Adjacent Sites

• Connecting Pathways – In order to prove easy and accessible access to the Angel Light gardens, pathways needed to be installed as part of the project. The pathway would run from the existing amphitheater walks past the bridge entrance to the Meredith Lake island garden and connect to the entry court of the Angel Light gardens. Continuing from the entry court, the pathway would then run across the riprap swale, past the picnic area and end at the roadway just up the hill from the GI parking lot.  A continuation of the use of brick will be encouraged with a softening of the edges created using path-side plantings.
• Lake Island Entrance – To enhance the pathway design, a seating area with retaining wall and plantings would rest on the North side of the connecting pathway, opposite the entrance bridge to the Meredith Lake island garden.
• Picnic Area – Since the existing picnic area, situated adjacent to the closest parking lot, becomes the pathway connection to the Angel Light gardens, enhancement of this area is critical. A simple layout that incorporates the existing stone fire pit and two picnic tables will be developed. Through the use of brick, stone, and plantings, a framework for defining the space will be defined. Collaboration with the appropriate graduating class will be encouraged.
• Rip Rap Swale – As the accessible pathway must cross the existing stone-littered swale, addressing this feature must be part of the design program. Believing that a bridge sitting in the middle of the landscape would look ridiculous, it is suggested that the existing stone be positioned so as to allow for the pathway to cross the swale indentation. An aesthetically engineered placement of the stones along the whole length of the swale would be initiated. Additionally, plantings along both sides of the swale would visually enhance the feature as well as slow runoff and control erosion during peak storm water surges.

Besides developing the designs and defining the scope of the project to meet Meredith College parameters and The Meredith Fund objectives, Layne developed a fundraising packet that included the design concept description; the final proposal with detailed concept, project description, and sketches; scaled master plan, grading plan, section/elevations, and details; illustrative perspective drawings of the proposed site; an estimated project budget; and a proposed timeline for construction.