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

When someone throws around the term “mobile home”, it almost requires further explanation to fully understand what that person is talking about. Why is that? Well, one mobile ...

The definition of a closed-end lease is what happens when an individual rents or leases an asset at a monthly rate with no obligations for the lessee to purchase the asset that he rents at ...

The definition of the Environmental Protection Agency can be explained by what the agency does. This independent executive agency works for the United States federal government and is ...

Persons considered legally capable of entering into a binding contract. ...

Listing Agreement A.K.A. Listing is basically a contract allowing a real estate agent or broker to list a home for sale and act as the home seller agent representing his/her interests ...

Situation in which a purchaser acquires mortgaged property and continues to pay the mortgagee for the debt outstanding. Although the new buyer continues to pay the mortgagee for the debt ...

Use of other people's money (OPM) in an attempt to maximize the return but at high risk. The use of leverage in real estate investing is a way to maximize yield on a small down payment. ...

Managing the day-to-day activities in a real estate brokerage office including recruiting and training new real estate agents, holding real estate closings, updating and managing real ...

Degree of completion or accomplishment such as a home that is 70% completed. Condition of real property. Position of an item. Legal standing such as of a case. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions