Definition of "Atrium"

The best atrium definition is that of a room with a roof open displaying the sky, but as with most things architecture (or even art) the atrium definition has changed with the passing of time.

Originally, the atrium definition was that of an open roof to the sky in a rectangular shape, acting as the central, most important room in Roman architectural home design. By the third century B.C. the atrium house had become overwhelmingly popular in Italy, but its use gradually declined under the Roman Empire, when it was replaced by garden houses in everyone’s hearts.

Because of that, the atrium definition got a little broader: people started to refer to any open roof as an atrium; not only the rectangular shaped ones. Soon there were circular atriums and even odd shapes like stars for the ones with a more esoteric taste.

Cut to the twentieth century and atrium make its comeback because of two factors: shopping malls and ecological awareness. Looking to save up on energy costs, many shopping malls have atriums on their roof to bring in natural light and avoid having to light up the place with electric lights, and green architecture has catered to Off the Grid Homes by increasingly using atriums and other glass structures to improve natural lighting inside houses and reduce carbon emissions and the need to depend on the power grid and power companies.

Real Estate Tips:

Open an atrium to your ideas and bring some light to your home buying process with a real estate agent by your side!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

A Construction method of using twice the number of framing members to provide additional structural strength. ...

Item falling under Section 57 of the Internal Revenue Code that may result in the imposition of the alternative minimum tax (AMT). These items of otherwise exempt income or deductions or of ...

A closed-end mortgage is a mortgage in which the collateralized property cannot be used as security for another loan. See also open-end mortgage for a better understanding of the ...

Corporation whose stockholders are taxed as partners. That is, income is taxed as direct income to the shareholders. The key advantage of this tax treatment is that shareholders escape ...

A zero lot line is a term in residential real estate that refers to houses that are either very close to or at the edge of the property line. These houses are also called zero lot line ...

Want to know what Net Listing means? Well, Net Listings are a type of listing where the home seller sets a minimum price he/she is willing to sell the property for and whatever amount above ...

(1) Judgment against a defendant who does not respond to the plaintiffs lawsuit or fails to appear in court at the hearing or trial date. (2) Judgment issued by the court against the ...

Typically, the term rider defines a financial concept, implying a written modification applied to an insurance policy, altering its initial clauses and provisions. The rider can update the ...

Situation where a neighbor hood is gradually occupied by progressively lower income people. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions