What was once an overgrown and overlooked aspect of the exterior of the Mabee Business Building now offers a serene respite on a normally bustling campus. The Celtic Garden, located right outside of the Quiet Place on the south entrance plaza of the building, features updated landscaping and seating, along with a more contemplative focus, fitting for a Christian business school.
As the college began renovations on the Mabee Business Building, Jim Orr (’86), Executive Director of the ACU Office of Gift Planning, volunteered to lead a small fundraising campaign with his classmates from the Class of 1986. As Dean Crisp and Orr explored various naming opportunities for the building, Jim suggested enhancing the south side, which is visible from the atrium and The Quiet Place. Over the years, tree growth
has cast the area in shade, limiting light for plant growth, especially in the covered space just outside The Quiet Place. The shaded areas, visible from within the building, were barren and uninviting. Crisp and Orr saw this as a prime opportunity to create a reflective and communal space for students, particularly given that the Class of 1986 was the last cohort to graduate before the Mabee Business Building opened in the fall of 1986.
Dean Brad Crisp (’93) began working with a committee to design and implement the garden plans. This
would be the final project of a complete renovation of the Mabee Business Building that began in 2020 and is especially meaningful for Dr. Crisp. “I have loved the chance to improve the functionality and appearance of the Mabee Business Building, but none of it had an overtly spiritual element. I have enjoyed using a Celtic blessing with our graduates during my time as dean, and so I started wondering what a Celtic cross might look like in that space.”
Demolition of some trees, an existing bicycle rack, and a brick wall that hid the space from street view began as soon as the spring semester finished. The new garden design features concrete pathways incorporating elements of a Celtic cross, culminating in a fully formed cross at the path’s end. Adjacent to The Quiet Place, the Celtic Garden will offer contemplative space for spiritual connection, echoing the sentiments of Crisp’s favorite Celtic blessing:
“May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness and protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you, And bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.”