“The Gateway” is a pair of skyscrapers just outside of the Central Business District of Singapore. Designed by I.M. Pei in the early 1980’s and completed by 1990, these buildings are nestled symmetrically on either side of a large roundabout drive that connects to Beach Road and are named for their locations cardinally: The Gateway East and The Gateway West.

Depending on the angle viewed from, these buildings are something of an optical illusion. Because of their trapezoidal nature, either building may appear to be nothing but a colossal wall of glass and, as such, some photos can be quite deceiving and, frankly, confusing at first glance. While I am uncertain whether this was the intention of Pei, it appears that the courtyard between the buildings was designed in such a way as to promote openness and invitation.