Space has been an essential part of people from time immemorial, and people are permanently marking their territories to prevent intruders while safely guiding their lives and properties. In achieving this, the fence is constructed in compounds with secured entrance gates, which are sometimes further guarded by supervising authorities. Gates have become accessories for buildings in contemporary times; they are often artistically designed with a touch of elegance and distinction to the buildings. The designs and forms are often made to evolve with the affiliations of the owners. This practice that started with residential buildings is observed to have been extended to virtually everywhere people require privacy, such as offices, churches, mosques, shrines or temples, and even motor parks. This study looks at the use of artistic gates in Yoruba residential buildings, studying development and variations in the types. It further classifies the styles in the decoration of the gates. The study reveals diverse styles of gates in Yoruba buildings. These forms are classified, and a total of 17 gates were purposively selected for analysis.
Keywords: Designs, Yoruba-cities, evolution, gates, typology
