Life, as we know it, is usually thought to be hidden up above, in the stars, in grand narratives, or in dreams of the future. But how much attention do we really pay to the stories beneath our feet? Have you ever thought that an ordinary paving stone could tell us more about technology, art, and the limits of human intelligence than any high-flying tale?
Today, I’m taking you to Edinburgh, that historic Scottish city where every misty street whispers a different legend. But I’m not stopping by the castles, whisky distilleries, or the bagpipe-filled corners. Instead, my gaze drops to the ground, to those famous paving stones known as Edinburgh paves. Because these stones are so much more than humble construction material—they are, in fact, a mathematical poem composed in the mind of a genius. As for the poet, he’s a man whose very occupation is a curiosity in itself: Adrian Fisher, the “maze designer.”
Is “Maze Designer” Really a Job?
I started with Edinburgh paves, but to understand their allure, you first have to meet Adrian Fisher. That’s the heart of the story. Adrian Fisher, adorned with an MBE (Member of the British Empire) at the front of his name, is a British master dedicated to creating “mazes, puzzles, public art, mosaics, and patterns.” Since 1979, he’s designed more than 700 mazes in 42 countries. Yes, you heard right—his job is to make mazes.
While everyone these days is starting up the next world-changing tech company, just imagine a man who’s devoted his life to building spaces where people get lost on purpose. Fisher isn’t just into hedge mazes either—he’s also pioneered mirror mazes, water mazes, and even massive cornfield labyrinths. He built the world’s first cornfield maze in 1993 and has broken seven Guinness World Records in the field. TEDx speaker, competition judge, listed by The Guardian among Britain’s top 50 designers… Let’s just say, you can’t dismiss him as just “the maze guy.”
But if his whole life has been about leading people to their goals by the longest, twistiest paths, why would he care about something as simple and straight as a city pavement? That’s where the magic of the Edinburgh paves project begins. For Fisher, the surface under your feet isn’t just something to walk on; it’s an enormous canvas waiting to be designed.
Edinburgh Paves: When Geometry Takes a Walk
When the Edinburgh Zoo asked him to design a pavement maze for the orangutans (yes, that’s actually a thing), Fisher did what he does best. Instead of sticking with traditional square or rectangular stones, he tapped into the core shapes of mathematics and nature. That’s how we got today’s legendary Edinburgh paves system.
This system rests on a surprisingly simple idea: it uses just two geometric shapes. One is a pentagon (five sides), the other is a heptagon (seven sides). When these two join together in a perfect 1:1 ratio, every piece in the pattern averages six sides. It’s a mathematical nod to the hexagon—the most efficient shape in nature. Think of honeycomb: the perfect hexagon that lets bees cover the most area with the least material. What bees do by instinct, Fisher brought consciously into city design.
One of the most fascinating features of these stones is that all the edge lengths are equal. That means the pieces fit together perfectly, like puzzle pieces. Yet the pattern never feels boring or repetitive. The paves alternate left and right, creating a visual flow with movement on the path. It’s like geometry has sprung to life and decided to take a walk along the pavement. When you stroll through historic Edinburgh, knowing that mathematics is winking up at you with every step, the city looks completely different. Walking on a path laid with Edinburgh paves isn’t just going from A to B—it’s walking across an interactive work of art.
Efficiency and Aesthetics: Can I Get Both?
Adrian Fisher’s design is about much more than just looks. It’s also incredibly practical and efficient. One of the biggest advantages of this system is that the stones can be laid straight from the pallet, with no need for any cutting. That’s the very peak of “work efficiency” in construction. Whereas normally it would take hours for skilled workers to cut and shape paving for a complex pattern, with the Edinburgh paves system it’s all modular and ready to go. All it takes is setting two types of stones in the right sequence to create highly dynamic and interesting designs.
It reminds me of that foundational principle in industrial design: “Form follows function.” But Fisher takes it a step further: “Form can follow function while also being fun.” His pavements are easy and safe to walk on (function), but just as importantly, they’re fun to look at and explore (form/aesthetics).
This approach shows that Fisher isn’t just a maze designer, but also a systems thinker. Other inventions of his—like his “Fisher Paver,” which uses seven- and four-sided bricks, or the “Mitre System” he patented with American mathematician Ed Pegg—reflect the same philosophy: simple rules leading to complex, beautiful outcomes. Isn’t that the very essence of how nature works?
The Forgotten Art Under Our Feet
In day-to-day life, how often do we notice that the paths we walk, the benches we sit on, the bus stops where we wait, are all designed? Hardly ever. For us, they just “exist.” And yet public spaces are the most concrete reflection of a city’s identity, its values, and vision for its people. A detail like Edinburgh paves is a signature that gives a city soul and sets it apart from others.
What Adrian Fisher does, at its core, is make the ordinary extraordinary. To see not just a chunk of concrete in a paving stone, but a universe of mathematical possibilities. To look at a cornfield and dream up a giant playground. To see a pile of mirrors and create an adventure with themed chambers… It’s the gift of seeing the world with childlike curiosity.
So next time you’re in Edinburgh—or any city, really—stop and look down for a moment. Maybe you’ll spot a hidden pattern, a puzzle left for you by an unsung genius like Adrian Fisher. Maybe you won’t. But one thing is certain: with Edinburgh paves, the greatest stories and the smartest designs can sometimes be found in the most unexpected, most “underfoot” places. All it takes is knowing how to look. Because life isn’t only about looking up; sometimes it’s the labyrinth beneath your feet that gives meaning to it all.
