Of doorways and gates

Abstract

We interact with doors on a daily basis. The act of opening and closing doors is part of our daily routine, an action which most of the time is an automatic reflex action not entailing any conscious effort or prior thought. In other instances, we beckon doors to open by the physical act of swinging a traditional brass door knocker or pressing an electronic door bell. Doors have a fundamental function; they can provide physical access to a space or deny such access. They act as physical barriers to designated space, selectively controlling our movements in space. On a physiological level one can interpret the opening of a door as a personal invitation to partake of that space whereas a closed door implies rejection and spatial exclusion.