The Gates Rotary (circa 1900) is located at the end of Chapin Parkway, located on Delaware Avenue – just below the Millionaire Row. While most Americans recognize this type of turn as a vehicle access point – from point A to point B – Europeans see these architectural gems as more convenient to locate. While in the US, traffic is mostly cars, in Europe they are also for people.
Turns, like Gates Doir, were not always considered a means of transportation in cities around the world, such as Buffalo. For example, when this “park booklet” was built, life was much slower and so was the traffic. It was a time when riders could see the sleek trails on the beautifully designed trails of Frederick Loom Olmsted. At the time, the promenades were built as collection points where people could walk, enjoy the scenery, listen to the fountains … and chat.
And they talked!
What they didn’t know was that other people sitting in Gates ’coordinated circle could listen. This is because the circular carved stone slab that encloses the perimeter of the large fountain is designed as a ‘whispering gallery’, so the words listed can move around the seating area without difficulty. The voices embrace the twist of the rock at a distance of 115 ‘away, or possibly before, if they are caught by a sudden companion (or spy!), Working in an outward direction.
When the famous architect EB Green designed the Green Gates Circle, he did it with European sensitivity in mind. Not only is the centerpiece – a dramatic fountain – a delight to watch, but it’s also a distraction of the cacophony that tricks visitors to entertain their guards while sitting inside the smoky gallery, which is believed to be the only one in Buffalo.
The promenade, part of the Frederick Loom Olmsted Park System, is located at the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Chapin Parkway.
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