In general, Kamin stated, “At their best, gates and gateways lend a poetry of their own to acts of passage that form an essential part of our lives as individuals and as part of something larger than ourselves. Not all gates are created equal. They can articulate noble ideals and aspirations; express the profound power of the transitions we make, from confinement to freedom, life to death, and ignorance to understanding.”
No matter where you are in the world, Chicago makes an architectural impact. Roughly five years ago, Kamin participated in a yearlong Nieman Journalism Fellowship at Harvard University. During his stay, he became intrigued by the 25 gates that surround the Harvard Yard. During his exploration, he learned that Chicagoan Samuel Johnston donated $10,000 to Harvard University to offer a gateway. The Johnston Gate, named after its donor was built in 1889. Kamin became interested in the way gateways framed movements in correlation with the use of the buildings. Kamin’s curiosity was also piqued observing details such as the wrought-iron flower, hidden numbers and the image of the boar’s head in the gates. As a part of his fellowship and newly found interest, Kamin taught a class on the Gates of Harvard Yard and from there started giving tours of the Harvard Gates, as well as touring famous gates from all over the world.
It’s important to distinguish between gates and gateways. According to Kamin, “Gates have ambiguous beauty because they’re about control. Gateways are about framing an entrance, accentuating a passage and celebrating that passage. Making an entrance is crucial to the identity of our cities, their quality of life and the way that one experiences the buildings that are yet to come.”
Kamin expressed that "gates are ubiquitous and transcend geography and cultural differences. They are built for protection and control, to announce treasured areas in cities and to symbolize the power of those who built them."
In understanding and framing gateways, Kamin proposed to look at them through three lenses: objects of beauty, makers of places and vessels of identity. Examples of objects include gates to cemeteries and universities. For makers of places, Kamin highlighted Jerusalem's Golden Gate and the biblical story of Lot waiting on the Angels at the city of Sodom. An example of vessels of identity for institutions, nations and conflict is the Brandenburg Gate.
In Chicago, “gates and gateways are the symbols of the neighborhood. For example, gates on Division street create a sense of place within the vast undifferentiated area,” Kamin expressed. He continued, “What would North Michigan Avenue be without its gateway towers?” He went on to explain that Chicago architect Andrew Rebori created a conceptual plan that led to the placement of the Chicago Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building so they form the portal into North Michigan Avenue.
Kamin discussed the Cloud Gate structure or commonly nicknamed, “The Bean” in Millennium Park. His fascination is due largely in part because strictly speaking, it’s not a gate. “It’s not attached to a fence or wall. It’s a free-standing object. Even though it’s a sculpture, it has a strong 3-dimensionality to it, a sense of passage and really symbolizes how gates rather than separating us can draw us together,” Kamin noted.
“Gates and gateways are important because they sound the opening notes in the architectural symphony of a city and university; they’re powerful symbols of belonging; signifiers of history; and vivid expressions of transitions through space and time that form an essential part of the human experience. The question is not whether we should build them, but how.”
