Katsuhito Nishikawa, 2007
in front: Janustor, 1998, Michael Growe

“When Karl-Heinrich Müller wanted a place for medi­ta­tion at Hombroich, I designed a garden labyrinth at the Rake­ten­sta­tion for his 70th birthday in 2006.

The square area, enclosed by high concrete walls, can be entered from the west. In its centre is a square concrete basin filled with water. The only path leads between flower beds as a concrete strip parallel to the outer walls without branching off to the centre, but not directly, rather in the pendulum-like movement of the labyrinth, approa­ching and receding from the centre through all four quadrants. Having reached the desti­na­tion via this maximum detour, the only way out is to turn back.

The initial planting of the garden labyrinth with orna­mental, useful and medicinal plants seemed ideal at first, but over the years proved to be too vigorous: soon, neither its laby­rin­thine structure nor the path through it was reco­g­nisable. The complex as a place of medi­ta­tion was even­tually forgotten in favour of monastery garden-like planting and use.

Realising how easily we lose sight of an idea once it has been realised, I decided in 2024 to restore the medi­ta­tion place for Hombroich. Its clari­fying planting with low-growing herbs has revealed the original idea once again.

I dedicate the new old garden maze to the idea that stood at the beginning of Hombroich.” Katsuhito Nishikawa, 2025