Circle Bar Chapel

About the Ranch

Circle Bar Ranch is a 2,800-acre farm site located in Foxworth, Mississippi that aspires to become a regional economic engine, a center for youth and adult education, and a place to experience and enjoy nature. Established in 1979 by Patrick F. and Phyllis M. Taylor, the family-owned property supports a mission of stewardship and innovation through initiatives including a youth camp, a sustainable ranch, training and conference facilities, and a new chapel at its center.

Through the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation and the Phyllis M. Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking, the Taylors have created opportunities for youth and college-age students to access education and cross-disciplinary collaboration networks, empowering them to impact their communities and beyond. Mr. Taylor, who passed away in 2004, is buried at a small family cemetery south of the family house near a pond and adjacent to the chapel site.

About the Chapel

The chapel is designed as an in-between space—a vessel for inner inquiry and contemplation. Inspired by the "Anecdote of the Jar," it is sited to invite the surrounding landscape in and extend toward meaningful locations across the ranch. An observation tower marks the center, offering expansive views.

The chapel is securely founded on a concrete and masonry plinth, with a roof that hovers on minimal mullions and columns, opening outward to the landscape, horizon, and sky. An oculus at the center connects heaven and earth, creating moments of contemplation.

Project Team

• Duvall Decker Architects
• Allen Engineering
• Engineering Resource Group, Inc.
• W.P. Moore
• Jon D. Rice & Associates, LLC
• Tillotson Design Associates