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The most amazing atriums on the planet. The meaning of the word “atrium” What is an atrium in a building

Atrium houses as an example of eco-architecture

Environmental aspect of atrium buildings

November 26, 2013 as part of the business programIV The festival of innovative technologies in architecture and construction “Green Project 2013” ​​hosted a master class by architect Dmitry Zhukov entitled “Atrium houses as an example of eco-architecture.” Since this presentation attracted the attention of many guests and participants of the Festival, we considered it possible to post the contents of the past master class in the form of an article publication on the Construction Expert portal.

It is appropriate to begin the discussion of the topic “Atrium buildings as an example of eco-architecture” with an explanation of the basic concepts. What is an atrium? According to the generally accepted definition, an atrium is a public space, usually developing vertically. A special case of an atrium is a gallery, which is a single space formed along the main pedestrian communications. Thus, the atrium can be compared to a closed courtyard, and the gallery to a closed street.

From the author’s point of view, the main task of eco-architecture is to create an environment in which a person could develop as an individual, feel healthy, prosperous and intelligent. A person, realizing himself as such, will lead a harmonious lifestyle, choosing clean, renewable building materials, economical, efficient building maintenance systems for himself and his family.

The atrium seems to be the planning center of eco-architecture, its core, the core of architecture of a new quality.

We've all heard the saying: we are what we eat. I propose to expand its meaning - we are where we live and work. A person is most influenced by the place where he lives. Many of us live in apartments, which often have narrow, dark hallways and hallways. To communicate with other family members, as well as to communicate with the outside world, we need to go this way many times a day. Question: does this affect the formation of a person’s mood, his worldview?...

Obviously yes. In buildings with atriums, you can see an alternative principle of organizing space, which gives the architecture a different quality, making it majestic and attractive, while being efficient and economical. Moreover, it is important to note that this applies to both private houses and large public and residential buildings.

When the basic definitions are given, it is important to understand the history of the atrium, for which it is proposed to go 2000 - 3000 years ago to Ancient Rome, where modern Western civilization arose, as well as to the Middle East and India and see what the principles of the formation of houses were at that time.

Architecture Ancient Rome is best known to us and when the word “atrium” is used, many people remember ancient Roman villas, which are characterized by the presence of a large, bright, richly decorated atrium, behind which there was a peristyle - a courtyard with an even larger garden. Together, a system of two atrium courtyards was formed, around which all other rooms were arranged. We agree that this type of house is strikingly different from most modern cottages and especially apartments.

Now let's fast forward to Western Asia, where we discover that a characteristic feature of the city is the orientation of the premises into courtyards. Cities like Isfahan generally lack what is known in Europe as building exteriors. The main routes of population movement pass through bazaars, which can be considered the prototype of modern galleries. Caravanserais, madrasahs, and mosques located away from the bazaars are all oriented towards courtyards, and secondary passages are formed between their outer walls. As a result, a city of “interiors” is emerging. This characterizes the Muslim approach to the formation of the urban environment and the planning of buildings.

Traditional Indian architecture is based on the knowledge set forth in the science of Vastu (2-3 thousand years BC), which provides the basic planning principles for the formation of buildings. A special place in the layout of the house was given to the central part of the building; it was considered the most important; the remaining rooms were formed around it, and it was from it that access to each of them was provided. In some cases, a large, bright, richly decorated courtyard was formed in the center, which did not have a specific purpose; as a rule, various family holidays and colorful celebrations were held there, children played; in other cases, in the center of the building there was a high, bright hall, which also was the communication center of the house.

Traditional Indian house, according to Vastu science. Plan.

You can be sure that, living in such a space from an early age, a person will have a different worldview than someone who has lived in an apartment since childhood. A model of a house with a central atrium hall seems to be the most correct and harmonious space for a family to live and spend time together. This model is favorably perceived by children, does not create an overwhelming effect and creates a different, undoubtedly higher quality of space and life.

In addition to the formation of a certain psychological climate, the structure of buildings with a central courtyard had a sacred meaning. In the East, the central part of the house was a tithe, which the owner donated to God during construction and thereby received his blessings. For example, in India, the central part of the house is called Brahmastan, which literally means “place of God.” That is why, as a rule, they tried not to use the central part functionally and left it as free as possible.

From the perspective of ideas about the physical climate, in a house with a central hall-atrium, the illumination of the premises and the air exchange in them improves.

The historical review should be completed with later architectural monuments of the Renaissance. In this regard, one can recall St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, the works of Andrea Palladio and other masters of that time. These buildings contain majestic and bright atrium spaces, which were the prototypes of modern atriums.

It is proposed to consider the atrium in public architecture, starting with the ecology of the city. The city is the environment in which the social, economic and personal behavior patterns of each person are formed. I think no one will argue that a person living in big city, has one rhythm of life, values ​​and views, and the inhabitant of a small town has others. Thus, it becomes obvious that the urban environment most directly influences a person, his attitude towards the world and what he understands as an ecological approach to life. By making the urban environment more friendly and co-operative with people, one can change their attitude towards the environment and open up an understanding of the true principles of ecology.

The formation of the urban environment is now influenced by two main factors - economic and transport. The first is expressed in the fact that the investor, when reconstructing existing buildings or developing new territories, thinks about obtaining maximum profit. In our time, this approach is decisive when developing a project and searching for a project idea. The transport factor is reflected in the fact that cars have become an integral part of the modern city, displacing pedestrians from the wide streets and squares of the early 20th century to the narrow sidewalks of today. There are fewer and fewer public spaces where people could feel comfortable and simply communicate.

How can an atrium respond to two major challenges of the modern city? How can the urban environment be improved? It is proposed to consider possible options for urban development based on the factors indicated above.

Urban development in Western Europe and the United States from the beginning of the 20th century to the 1970s posed a number of serious problems. Streets and squares, which determine the variety of traffic routes, began to undergo changes. New buildings were located without taking into account the existing planning axes and spaces, creating a confusion of unrelated spatial elements. High-rise towers and plates began to create strong air currents, especially unbearable at the level of the first floors. High-rise buildings have devalued the former dominant features of the development. New construction often began to occupy several neighboring blocks of the old city, blocking existing pedestrian routes.

To be fair, it should be noted that currently all planned developments in Europe and America are blown in wind tunnels, which makes it possible to find optimal solutions for the formation of the urban environment.

The first signs of a constructive response to high-rise construction appeared in the mid-1960s, when the period of construction of atrium buildings began. In parallel with this, at the Cambridge Institute, specialists conducted a series of studies on the topic “Use of territory and building forms”, which showed the advantages of perimeter development compared to the so-called free plan, consisting of towers and plates. Using a Fresnel square as an example, each successive zone of which is equal in area, they clearly demonstrated that the practice of building spaces remote from the boundaries of the building site leads to unnecessary waste of land and energy. The same amount of usable space that tower buildings provide can be gained in lower buildings along the perimeter of the site. The fact that the equality of Fresnel squares is not perceived visually is explained by the laws of the psychology of vision - a square lawn always seems larger than the path along its perimeter.

Fresnel square

The author confirmed the effectiveness of perimeter development with his own experience - his recent participation in the development of a residential microdistrict project. According to the technical specifications, it was necessary to place about 200 thousand m 2 of housing on a plot of 25 hectares. The standard solution in this case involves the location of 20 - 30 towers with a height of 17 - 25 floors. Such development will create an uncomfortable, and most importantly, inappropriate environment for humans, in which it will be difficult to navigate and drafts may occur. As a result, another solution was proposed: to create a perimeter block development of 7-8-storey buildings with central atrium courtyards. This option differed from the first in its structure; it creates precisely a traditional urban environment, comfortable and human-scale, an environment that we are accustomed to seeing in historical city centers.

In addition to the fact that atrium buildings provide efficient use of the territory, they add pedestrian space to the city. These spaces, having a purely urban character, can equally well serve as communications and as places where various types of activities are concentrated. As passages, they can link the interiors of different neighborhoods, cutting off the corners of main streets, resurrecting the intricacy of traditional city routes.

Now let's try to understand what an atrium in a building does for energy savings and the economy of the entire facility as a whole. In Scandinavia in the 1960s, a very economical method of heating and insolation was developed, which uses the principle of covering not individual houses, but entire areas of the city. Further research has shown that, in this way, about 50% of the heat spent on heating buildings is saved, and modern materials can further reduce heat loss. Glass coverings do not prevent solar heating of buildings and the streets themselves, but, like vestibules, they prevent heat loss through building openings. IN summer time on the contrary, these coverings, using a louvered system, shade the internal buildings, and open hatches provide increased air exchange.

Types of atriums

The ideal model is an atrium with a minimum area of ​​external fencing. In the atrium, which has the shape of a cube with a glass roof, the thermal insulation as a whole is 4 times greater than that of the walls.

In public buildings, a huge proportion of energy is usually spent on artificial lighting, and the art of designing natural lighting is gradually becoming a thing of the past. It is proposed to consider the basic principles of designing high-quality natural lighting, and what advantages buildings with atriums provide in this.

Natural lighting can be particularly economical if the design also reduces heat loss, which can be achieved in buildings with atriums. The atrium makes it possible to make buildings deeper, with a smaller perimeter of external walls and thereby save on heating, while maintaining standard lighting parameters in the premises.

It is important to understand that the maximum sunlight in all geographical latitudes comes from above, thus, the use of upper glazing is most rational. In temperate climate zones, it is optimal to have an atrium with a maximum roof skylight area and high glazing capacity. In hot climates, the use of direct incident light should be limited.

The quality of light is also important. Low gloss and contrast lighting are desirable. Basic techniques to increase the level of natural light:

Increasing the height of premises;

Reducing the width of rooms;

Creation of additional reflective surfaces;

Finishing the atrium with materials with a high coefficient of reflection.

So, with a standard room height of 2.7 m, it is possible to provide a standard indicator for illumination to a depth of no more than 6 m; if the height is increased to 3.6 m, the illuminated depth will increase to 9 m.

In atrium buildings, direct light falling from above is reflected several times before hitting the work surface. The atrium can be compared to a light guide, in which the level of luminous flux depends on the nature of the wall surface. If the walls of the atrium are entirely glass or open entirely, then a small part of the light will be able to reach the lower level. Efficient use of light involves a system in which at each level only enough light is lost to illuminate that level, and the rest is distributed further to the lower levels. The logical consequence of this principle is the need for a different number of openings and windows at each level of the atrium space.

When designing an atrium, it is important to know that a zone of increased air heating is formed under the surface of the roof, so it is best to make it high or install a special lantern located outside the used spaces. The lantern is also convenient because it uses side lighting, and is especially attractive in northern regions. Side lighting is structurally less complex than a glass roof.

From the point of view of creating a microclimate, it is important to decide on the type of atrium before designing. The atrium can be designed to retain heat, to remove heat, or to alternate between these functions.

The climatic factor is decisive when choosing the type of atrium. However, in buildings of different shapes and purposes, microclimate parameters can differ significantly. Buildings with deep spaces intended for trade or offices suffer from excess heat almost all year round, especially in their central zones. The use of an atrium, for example in the renovation of such buildings, can solve this problem by installing additional ventilation through the atrium. When designing an atrium, it is also important to know the required level of comfort in it; it is most optimal to use the atrium as a buffer space with partial climate control. When choosing a model, it is important to understand that additional air conditioning is always more expensive than heating.

Personal experience in working with atrium spaces is represented by two projects completed at the Virtual Architecture Laboratory LLC under the leadership of Stanislav Kulish and Vadim Lipatov.

The first project is the interior of the Romanov Dvor business center (Fig. 4, 5). In this case, I would like to draw attention to the importance of transport communications in atriums. Here the atrium develops from the entrance vertically down and up. It contains several staircases, a ramp and an elevator leading to different functional areas of the center: a cinema, a business center, a fitness center and a single public space in the form of a gallery stretching along the entire building. When moving from level to level, the exhibition constantly changes, new volumes of halls and rooms open up. The presence of a skylight in the center helps to navigate well in such a diverse space. When designing an atrium, it is important to properly separate the flow of people, especially for larger atriums. The transit flow of visitors should not interfere with those people who use the atrium as a public space for recreation and leisure. This project shows all the advantages of using highly reflective materials in the interior - the atrium is filled with light, and additional artificial lighting only emphasizes the possible directions of movement. “Hanging gardens” are designed along the entire gallery, which makes the atmosphere more comfortable and cozy.

Business center Romanov Dvor

The second project that I would like to talk about is the Diagonal House business center (Fig. 8). A diagonally directed atrium was designed in the center of the building, which gave the name to the office center. The atrium is filled with sunlight several times a day, bringing joy and energy to all the center’s employees. The wide body of the building, which occupies the site as much as possible, is provided with daylight thanks to the central atrium. Both the deep office spaces in the west and the corridor in the center receive light, creating high-quality workspaces at each level. The building itself is designed to provide sunlight to the technical school located on the adjacent site, for which its western part and the atrium cover are sloped in the north-west direction.

Business center "Diagonal House", 9th floor plan. Architects S. Kulish, V. Lipatov, D. Zhukov, N. Chernyakov, interior by Yu. Golubev.

The design of the internal volume of the atrium forms a holistic concept of the public space of the entire complex, connecting it with the entrance through light boxes and the geometry of interior solutions.

To summarize, it is worth reiterating why atrium buildings deserve our attention.

Firstly, atrium buildings in urban historical centers can breathe new life into the city and revive the traditional style of urban life. The Atrium provides a reasonable and, most importantly, high-quality response to the challenges of a modern city, a striking example of which is the Potsdamer Platz district in Berlin.

Secondly, world experience shows the attractiveness of large spaces for commercial purposes; atrium buildings become centers of attraction for people. Buildings with atriums have increased liquidity, as the author learned from his own experience in Moscow using the example of the Diagonal House business center, which is completely filled with tenants, despite the fact that the neighboring buildings are half empty.

Thirdly, the use of atriums improves lighting and air exchange in the building, creating a better environment for living and working, which is important both for private houses and for large multifunctional centers.

Buildings with atriums are particularly susceptible to cultural and at the same time technological influences, which allows for the creation of new architecture, new space and a new, better quality of life. Once again I would like to note that it is the environment in which we live and work that shapes a person. Using non-standard, but simple, and at the same time, long-known planning techniques, an architect is able to change the quality of human life, and at the same time reduce energy consumption and other costs of operating buildings.

This term has other meanings, see Atrium (meanings). Roman atrium in a painting by Gustave Boulanger Atrium of the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan Atrium of a modern building

Atrium or atrium(lat. atrium ), cavedium- originally the central part of the ancient Roman and ancient Italian dwelling (domus), which was an internal light courtyard, from where there were exits to all other rooms. In early Christian basilicas, an atrium is also called a rectangular courtyard in front of the entrance to the temple, surrounded by a covered gallery

In modern architecture atrium is the central, usually multi-light distribution space of a public building, illuminated through a skylight or an opening in the ceiling. A similar space can be organized on large cruise ships.

Atrium of an ancient Roman dwelling

Purpose

mundus of Ceres mundus cartibule(Varro recalled that they still met in his childhood), a special niche ( tablinum lararium

Types of atriums according to Vitruvius

  1. atrium tuscanium
  2. atrium tetrastylum
  3. atrium corinthium
  4. atrium displuviatum(“rain drainage”) - the size of the compluvium was significantly reduced, due to which it was a narrow slit, and the slope of the roof was arranged so that rainwater flowed out of it;
  5. atrium testudinatum

Atrium is:

Atrium This term has other meanings, see Atrium (meanings). Tuscan style atrium

Atrium or atrium(lat. atrium, from ater - “smoky”, “black”, that is a room blackened with soot), cavedium- the central part of the ancient Roman and ancient Italian dwelling (domus), which was an internal light courtyard, from where there were exits to all other rooms. In modern architecture atrium called the central, usually multi-light, distribution space of a public building, illuminated through a skylight or an opening in the ceiling, as well as atriums are created on giant Panamax class cruise ships.

Initially, the atrium served as a kitchen and dining room, where the hearth and loom were located, and at the same time - the sacred core of the home, likened to the central sanctuary of Rome - mundus of Ceres. The latter was a round vaulted pit, according to legend, dug by Romulus at the founding of the city and opened three times a year for sacrifices. In this capacity, the atrium, like mundus, symbolized the cosmic axis connecting the underworld with the heavens. The central place in the atrium was occupied by a pool (impluvium), above which there was a hipped opening in the roof (compluvium), into which rainwater flowed. Behind the impluvium, somewhat further away, the fireplace was placed in such a way that the fire would not be flooded with rainwater, but the smoke would be drawn out. Later the fireplace disappeared from this room. Initially, the atrium was also the place where the mother of the family slept - opposite the entrance to the house there was a deep niche for her bed - lectus adversus (“bed against the door”). In later periods, this niche lost its original function and was preserved only symbolically - as a sign of the sanctity of marriage. The atrium also housed most of the valuable items belonging to the family: a heavy chest with family heirlooms (cash drawer), an altar-type table - cartibule(Varro recalled that they still met in his childhood), a special niche ( tablinum), where the owner's documents and family archive were kept, and a cabinet (niches) for storing wax masks (imagines) and busts of ancestors, as well as images of good patron spirits - Lares and Penates (later a separate sanctuary - lararium). The loom, as an indispensable element of the atrium furnishings in Old Testament families, was preserved until the end of the republic. The atrium then became the public, reception part of the house, the state hall. Here they received guests whom they did not want to bring into the family circle; here the patron received his clients. The atrium became the most richly furnished part of the house. The surviving cornice rings indicate that this hall was divided, if necessary, by curtains and drapes into separate spaces.

The atrium was invariably preserved in other types of residential buildings in Ancient Rome. The role of the atrium in the insulas (multi-storey buildings) was played by the light courtyard.

Vitruvius distinguished 5 types of atrium:

  1. atrium tuscanium(“Tuscan”) - without columns; the opening in the roof was formed only by the rafters (although such a system was expensive to build, apparently it was the most common type of atrium in the empire);
  2. atrium tetrastylum(“four-column”) - four columns, one at each corner of the impluvium;
  3. atrium corinthium(“Corinthian”) - similar to the previous one, but the compluvium is larger in size, and the number of columns increases to 12-16;
  4. atrium displuviatum(“rain drainage”) - the size of the compluvium was significantly reduced, due to which it was a narrow slit, and the slope of the roof was arranged so that rainwater flowed out of it;
  5. atrium testudinatum(“covered”) - an atrium completely covered with vaults (without compluvium), usually located in small houses.

see also

  • Winter Garden
  • Lobby
  • Peristyle

Notes

  1. A.A. Neihardt Legends and tales of ancient Rome. - M.: Pravda, 1987. (Retrieved August 2, 2010)
  2. Art of Ancient Rome // Russian general education portal (Retrieved August 2, 2010)
  3. The Roman House (Retrieved 2 August 2010)

Links

  • Atrium, part of a Roman house // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
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Atrium (disambiguation) is:

Atrium (disambiguation)

Atrium:

Amalia Magai

Atrium or atrium (lat. atrium, from ater - “smoky”, “black”, that is, a room blackened by soot), cavedium - the central part of the ancient Roman and ancient Italian dwelling (domus), which was an internal light courtyard, from where there were exits to all other rooms. In modern architecture, an atrium is the central, usually multi-light, distribution space of a public building, insolated through a skylight or an opening in the ceiling, and atriums are also created on giant-sized cruise ships of the Panamax class.
Initially, the atrium served as a kitchen and dining room, where there was a fireplace and a loom, and at the same time as the sacred core of the home, likened to the central sanctuary of Rome - the mundus of Ceres. The latter was a round vaulted pit, according to legend, dug by Romulus at the founding of the city and opened three times a year for sacrifices. In this capacity, the atrium, like the mundus, symbolized the cosmic axis connecting the underworld with the heavens. The central place in the atrium was occupied by a pool (impluvium), above which there was a hipped opening in the roof (compluvium), into which rainwater flowed. Behind the impluvium, somewhat further away, the fireplace was placed in such a way that the fire would not be flooded with rainwater, but the smoke would be drawn out. Later the fireplace disappeared from this room. Initially, the atrium was also the place where the mother of the family slept - opposite the entrance to the house there was a deep niche for her bed - lectus adversus (“bed against the door”). In later periods, this niche lost its original function and was preserved only symbolically - as a sign of the sanctity of marriage. The atrium also housed most of the valuable items belonging to the family: a heavy chest with family heirlooms (cash drawer), an altar-type table - cartibul (Varro recalled that in his childhood they were still encountered), a special niche (tablinum) where the owner’s documents were kept and a family archive, and a cabinet (niches) for storing wax masks (imagines) and busts of ancestors, as well as images of good patron spirits - lares and penates (later a separate sanctuary - lararium). The loom, as an indispensable element of the atrium furnishings in Old Testament families, was preserved until the end of the republic. The atrium then became the public, reception part of the house, the state hall. Here they received guests whom they did not want to bring into the family circle; here the patron received his clients. The atrium became the most richly furnished part of the house. The surviving cornice rings indicate that this hall was divided, if necessary, by curtains and drapes into separate spaces.

The atrium is the central part of an ancient Roman dwelling, an internal light courtyard into which the rest of the rooms opened. The etymology of the word comes from the Latin atrium, which means “smoky”, “black”. In ancient dwellings, there was a constantly burning hearth in the atrium; due to the small size of the courtyard, it could be smoked, which is where its name most likely came from. There was also a reservoir for draining rainwater.

This construction of a characteristic ancient Roman house arose under the influence of the compositions of the folk assemblies of the Greek agora and simple folk dwellings. The influence of Etruscan buildings is also felt. For several centuries the house of the Romans had no further development. Even during the era of prosperity of the empire, the atrium remained an essential part of the house. This predominant type of housing construction is called atrium-peristyle.

The atrium is the center of a Roman house, an open rectangular space, the compluvium. The roof of the atrium, four parts of which dropped towards the middle, left an open space in the very center from which rainwater flowed into an impluvium reservoir built in the floor. The roof was usually based on four columns that stood at the corners of the impluvium.

The atrium gave the Roman house its unique personality. Its layout according to Marcus Vitruvius, a Roman architect, could differ in two types: a cavedium, or open-air atrium, the roof of which ran along a circle, and an atrium with a gallery with a continuous ceiling.

Cavedium was divided into 5 types:

  • Atrium tuscanicum is the most common type, also known as Etruscan. It is characterized by a concave roof with a rectangular hole in the middle, its slopes descending to the compluvium. The roof rested on 2 transverse beams located along the edges of the compluvium.
  • Atrium tetrastylum was used in the construction of larger premises. This type was distinguished by partitions perpendicular to the walls, which formed a series of rooms around a courtyard. The roof of the building was based on four columns placed at the corners of the compluvium.
  • Atrium corinthium is similar to the previous one, but had a larger compluvium and, accordingly, a larger number of columns. The Corinthian type was an open courtyard with a colonnade supporting a roof that sloped inward.
  • Atrium displuviatum had a roof with a gap in the middle. The skylight was usually protected from the rain by a special canopy.
  • Atrium testudinatum - the atrium was completely covered with vaults.

The atrium was open, created in the form of a basilica, with a covered courtyard, bordered by two side porticos. At the back of the courtyard there was a tablinium (wooden gallery) with an open front facade. The tablinium was connected to the internal chambers by a wide span (fauces).

Initially, the courtyard of the atrium was separated from the street by a door, which, according to custom, was open. But later they began to lock her up. Entrance doors often opened inwards. Opposite them was usually a fireplace. Households gathered in this part of the house. Slaves spun here, with whom the mistress herself often worked.

Later, the atrium is already a kind of face of the house. It began to be divided into an official (tablinum - office, atrium, triclinium), front and private part (cubicula, peristyle - bedrooms). The walls of the light courtyard were decorated with frescoes, the floor was laid out with mosaics, and the hearth was replaced with a pool. Marble columns and statues began to decorate the atrium. The house became more pompous.

The passion for colossal structures that seized the Romans during the heyday of the empire gave them the idea of ​​​​arranging atriums at public buildings and in temples.

In modern architecture, the meaning of the term “atrium” is somewhat different. An atrium is an open space with translucent ceilings inside a building, several floors high. During the construction of exhibition complexes, hotels, business centers, offices of major companies, this is one of the common elements of architecture.

What is "Atrium"

  1. Not a bad bar in Karaganda on Erubaeva.
  2. Atrium, 1) ancient Roman assembly point. the house where the fireplace stood and where all the chambers were adjacent; also surrounded by columns is the vestibule of the basilica. -2) Atrium, atrium, the part of the heart where blood flows from the veins; in fish there is one atrium; in other vertebrates it is divided by a longitudinal septum into two: right and left.
  3. Atrium is.
    One of the most interesting solutions in architecture. Creates a very unusual image of the building.
    An atrium is a part of a building, usually built vertically, each floor is a gallery onto which various rooms open and ends with a translucent dome, which is the source of illumination for this space. If the atrium is built horizontally, an example is GUM (Moscow), then it is called a passage.

    Atrium (lat. Atrium) is the part of the heart that receives blood from the veins.

    An atrium is a room whose height is two or more floors. There are no interfloor partitions, that is, just a very high ceiling. Although the atrium can directly communicate with rooms located on the floors of the building. Atriums can simply be a decoration of a building, or they can serve special functions. The first atriums appeared in Ancient Rome, and the word atrium translated from Latin means a room blackened by soot. The Romans built atriums to connect their home with the heavens and the underworld.

  4. Atrium or Atrium (lat. atrium) is the central part of the ancient Roman and ancient Italian dwelling, which was an internal light courtyard, from where there were exits to all other rooms. The concept of atrium came to the architecture of the Romans from Greece. Atrium tomb or so-called tholos of the Mycenaean king Atreus. Initially, the atrium was the kitchen and dining room of the dwelling: it contained a hearth, a loom and sanctuaries of the gods. Subsequently, the fireplace was removed from the atrium, and a pool (impluvium) was placed in its place, above which there remained a four-slope roof opening (compluvium), into which rainwater flowed. The atrium contained a box with money, sanctuaries of the gods and ancestors (lars). The owner’s documents and the family archive were kept in a special niche (tablinum). The atrium was the official room of the ancient Roman home: guests were received here who were not wanted to be included in the family circle; here the patron received his clients. Noble Romans placed images of their noble ancestors, so-called Imagines, in the atrium.

    The atrium was invariably preserved in other residential buildings of Ancient Rome. The role of the atrium in the insulas (multi-storey buildings) was played by the light courtyard.

    In modern architecture, an atrium is the internal light courtyard in a building.

The lobby of the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai amazes anyone who sees it for the first time. The height of its open space - about 180 m - is the highest in the world.

In an architectural sense, it is an atrium - a direct analogy to the courtyards that first appeared in the houses of ancient Italy many centuries ago.

Origin of the term

The courtyard, which had connections with all rooms of the house, was the compositional and semantic center of the ancient Roman house. It is necessary to distinguish between two types of patio. One of them is a patio, which is most often located in the open air, and the atrium is a covered space, and in later times such a covering was made of translucent structures.

The very name of this technique in the functional organization of a house - atrium - comes from the Latin word ater - black, sooty, which quickly lost its relevance. If at first the atrium was the place where the fireplace for cooking was located, it gradually became the space where the main events in the life of the ancient Roman house took place, i.e. the atrium acquired pomp and luxury.

The history of architecture distinguishes several types of ancient atrium. Its space could be limited by columns, the ceiling could be completely absent, or it could have a light opening of various sizes and be shaped to facilitate the drainage of water from the roof. In the atrium of the heyday of the empire, under an opening in the roof, there was a swimming pool; against the wall there was a hearth and altars, furniture for storing the most valuable things and documents, as well as for receiving visitors and long feasts.

A New Look

The interior space of modern atriums comes not only from the architecture of ancient Roman houses, but also from medieval castles and royal residences. A common element of palace complexes was an internal covered courtyard, square in shape. With the development of technology, glazing systems appeared, which made it possible to erect translucent structures over such courtyards, which gave them new functional qualities.

The atrium arose in climates that did not require heating of houses, and the open, unenclosed space, flooded with natural light, was suitable for everyday year-round use without additional insulation measures. The possibility of creating sufficiently large spaces with a comfortable temperature and creating the effect of being in the open air has made atriums relevant for less comfortable climatic zones. Today, the atrium is an architecture not only of the Mediterranean, but also of Russia, Scandinavia and North America.

Modern planning element

Large spans connected by glazing supports created a new type of building. They had large public spaces where people could calmly, regardless of weather conditions, spend free time, shopping, visiting museum collections. The translucent ceilings of the atrium spaces created volumes of various types - passages, galleries, arcades, etc. Among them there were volumes only for the movement of large masses, there were spaces with the functions of large markets or huge exhibitions.

Residential individual buildings with internal spaces covered with transparent materials are a rather exotic thing, even for a warm climate. Although modern glazing systems, complemented by the latest engineering equipment, have the ability to create and maintain a comfortable microclimate inside, most developers prefer durable and reliable roofs.

Atriums in high-rise construction

New times have created a need for buildings of enormous volume, which has led to the emergence of high-rise buildings for various purposes. One of the most effective ways to build intelligent functional and communication interactions between rooms and spaces of a modern building has become the appearance of a huge common volume, where galleries, passages, panoramic elevators, etc. open. Such an atrium is what is called a “living room” and “entrance hall” huge and prestigious hotels and business centers, at the same time the core of the entire building.

A huge open space, formed using translucent enclosing structures, is often endowed with the functions of a light and air duct, which can stretch to many levels in height. Hence, the most important problem inherent in a building with an atrium is fire safety, but modern systems can nullify such threats.

Architectural masterpieces

Modern architects and designers have at their disposal an impressive field for the application of strength and talent in the form of grandiose open spaces with a comfortable microclimate and filled with sunlight. Often, elements of landscape architecture, waterfalls, grand aquariums, fountains, etc. are used for this.

Atriums created in this way have become real masterpieces of architecture of our time, preserving the essence with which they were endowed by ancient architects.