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.
Open an atrium to your ideas and bring some light to your home buying process with a real estate agent by your side!
Popular Real Estate Terms
A method of brick construction where the bricks are laid with their sides facing outward. ...
Earthquake insurance is the type of insurance policy that specifically covers damages to your real estate caused by seismic activities. It can refer both to the rare coverage against ...
(1) Occupancy rate at which rental income of a property pays for operating expenses and debt service, leaving no residual cash flow. (2) The level of sales of a real estate business where ...
Individual making the payments in a mortgage or pledging a mortgage or property. ...
When we talk about agency as a real estate concept, we understand the relationship between the real estate agent and the client. However, the term dual agency defines a type of agency that ...
Financial intermediaries who invest in deeds of trust and mortgages, and hold them in their own portfolio. Large financial firm that uses depositors' money to lend to borrowers. ...
The prime rate, a benchmark interest rate banks use, plays a significant role in the real estate market. Essentially, it’s the interest rate that commercial banks charge their most ...
Type of a real estate investment trust whose investment money is used for the purchase of a portfolio of specific properties to be managed in order to generate investment return through ...
Geographic location where a vacant or occupied structure exists. It usually means the land reserved is for a future building. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.