What was the purpose of the atrium? Atrium houses as an example of eco-architecture. Modern layout element

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

In the architectural sense, it is an atrium - this is 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 communication with all the premises of the house, was the compositional and semantic center of the ancient Roman house. Two types of patio should be distinguished. One of them is a patio, which is most often located in the open air, and an atrium is a covered space, and in later times such an overlap was made of translucent structures.

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

The history of architecture distinguishes several types of the ancient atrium. Its space could be limited by columns, the ceiling could be completely absent, or it could have a light hole of various sizes and be shaped to help drain water from the roof. In the atrium of the heyday of the empire, under the opening in the roof, there was a pool, near 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 the palace complexes was an internal covered courtyard, square in shape. With the development of technology, glazing systems appeared that made it possible to erect translucent structures over such courtyards, which gave them new functional qualities.

The atrium originated in a climate where there was no need for heating houses, and the open, open space, flooded with natural light, was suitable for everyday year-round living without additional thermal insulation measures. The possibility of the appearance of sufficiently large spaces with a comfortable temperature and creating the effect of being in the open air made atriums relevant for less comfortable climatic zones. Today, the atrium is the architecture of not only the Mediterranean, but also Russia, Scandinavia and North America.

Modern layout element

Large spans connected by glazing supports created a new type of building. They had large public spaces where people could safely, regardless of weather conditions, spend their free time shopping, visiting museum collections. The translucent ceilings of the atrium spaces created volumes of various types - arcades, galleries, arcades, etc. Among them 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 quite an exotic thing, even for a warm climate. Although modern glazing systems, supplemented with the latest engineering equipment, have the ability to create and maintain a comfortable microclimate inside, most developers prefer strong and reliable roofs.

Atriums in high-rise construction

The new time has given rise to the need for buildings of enormous volume, which has led to the emergence of high-rise structures for various purposes. One of the most effective ways to build reasonable functional and communication interactions between the premises and spaces of a modern building was the emergence of a huge total volume, where galleries, passages, panoramic elevators, etc. go. 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 enclosing translucent structures, is often endowed with the functions of a light and air duct, which can stretch to many levels in height. Hence, the main problem that is inherent in a building that has an atrium is fire safety, but modern systems are able to negate such threats.

architectural masterpieces

Modern architects and designers, having 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, grandiose aquariums, fountains, etc. are used for this.

The atriums created in this way have become true masterpieces of the architecture of our time, preserving the essence that they were endowed with by the ancient architects.

What is "Atrium"

1. not a bad bar we have in Karaganda on Yerubaeva.
2. Atrium, 1) collection point of ancient Roman. houses where there was a hearth, and where all the chambers adjoined; also the vestibule of the basilicas surrounded by columns. -2) Atrium, atrium, the part of the heart where blood comes from the veins; fish have one atrium, in other vertebrates it is divided by a longitudinal septum into 2: 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, as a rule, built vertically, each floor is a gallery to which various rooms open and ends with a translucent dome, which is the source of illumination of this space. If the atrium is built horizontally, GUM (Moscow) is an example, then it is called a passage.

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

   An atrium is a room that is two or more stories high. There are no interfloor partitions, that is, just a very high ceiling. Although the atrium can communicate directly with the premises located on the floors of the building. Atriums can be just a decoration of a building, or they can perform special functions. The first atriums appeared in ancient Rome, and the word atrium in Latin means a room blackened with soot. The Romans built atriums to connect their home with heaven and the underworld.

4. Atrium or Atrium (lat. atrium) is the central part of the ancient Roman and ancient Italian dwelling, which was an inner court of light, from where there were exits to all other rooms. In the architecture of the Romans, the concept of an atrium came from Greece. Atrium tomb or so-called tholos of Mycenae king Atreus. Initially, the atrium was the kitchen and dining room of the dwelling: in nm there was a hearth, a loom and sanctuaries of the gods. Subsequently, the hearth was removed from the atrium, and instead a pool (impluvium) was placed, above which there was a four-slope prom in the roof (compluvium), where rainwater flowed. The atrium contained a box with money, sanctuaries of gods and ancestors (lares). A special niche (tablinum) kept the documents of the owner and the family archive. The atrium was the official premises of the ancient Roman dwelling: guests were received here who did not want to be introduced into the family circle; here the patron received his clients. Noble Romans placed images of their noble ancestors, the so-called Imagines, in the atrium.

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

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

Atrium or atrium(lat. atrium ), cavedium- originally the central part of the ancient Roman and ancient Italian dwellings (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 the central, as a rule, multi-light distribution space of a public building, illuminated through a skylight or an opening in the floor, is called. Similar space can be organized on large cruise ships.

Atrium of an ancient Roman dwelling

Purpose

Mundus of Ceres mundus cartibulus(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-draining”) - the size of the compluvium was significantly reduced, due to which it was a narrow gap, and the slope of the roof was arranged so that rainwater would flow out of it;
5. atrium testudinatum

Atrium is:

Atrium or atrium(lat. atrium, from ater - "smoky", "black", that is soot-blackened room), cavedium- the central part of the ancient Roman and ancient Italian dwellings (domus), which was an inner court of light, 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 floor, as well as atriums are built on gigantic cruise ships of the Panamax class.

Initially, the atrium served as a kitchen and dining room, where there was a hearth and a loom, and at the same time - the sacred core of the dwelling, 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 foundation 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 heaven. The central place in the atrium was occupied by a pool (impluvium), above which there was a four-slope opening in the roof (compluvium), where rainwater flowed. Behind the impluvium, somewhat at a distance, they piled up the hearth in such a way that the fire would not be flooded with rainwater, and the smoke would be pulled out. Later, the hearth disappeared from this room. Initially, the atrium was also a sleeping place for the mother of the family - opposite the entrance to the house there was a deep niche for her bed - lectus adversus ("bed against the doors"). 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 box), an altar-type table - cartibulus(Varro recalled that they still met in his childhood), a special niche ( tablinum), where the documents of the owner and the 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 furnishing in Old Testament families was preserved until the end of the republic. Then the atrium turned into a public, reception part of the house, a front hall. Here they received guests whom they did not want to introduce 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 testify 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 of Ancient Rome. The role of the atrium in insuls (multi-storey buildings) was performed by a light courtyard.

Vitruvius distinguished 5 types of atrium:

1. atrium tuscanium("Tuscan") - without columns; the hole in the roof was formed only by rafters (although it was expensive to build such a system, 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-draining”) - the size of the compluvium was significantly reduced, due to which it was a narrow gap, and the slope of the roof was arranged so that rainwater would flow out of it;
5. atrium testudinatum(“covered”) - an atrium completely covered with vaults (without a compluvium), usually arranged 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. The Art of Ancient Rome // Russian Educational Portal (Retrieved August 2, 2010)
3. The Roman House (Retrieved August 2, 2010)

Links

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

• Architecture of Ancient Rome
• Premises

Atrium (disambiguation) is:

Atrium:

Amalia Magai

Atrium or atrium (lat. atrium, from ater - “smoky”, “black”, that is, a room blackened from 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 cruise ships of the Panamax class.
Initially, the atrium served as a kitchen and dining room, where there was a hearth and a loom, and at the same time - the sacred core of the dwelling, 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 foundation 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 heaven. The central place in the atrium was occupied by a pool (impluvium), above which there was a four-pitched opening in the roof (compluvium), where rainwater flowed. Behind the impluvium, somewhat at a distance, they piled up the hearth in such a way that the fire would not be flooded with rainwater, and the smoke would be pulled out. Later, the hearth disappeared from this room. Initially, the atrium was also a sleeping place for the mother of the family - opposite the entrance to the house there was a deep niche for her bed - lectus adversus ("bed against the doors"). 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 (money box), an altar-type table - kartibul (Varro recalled that they still met in his childhood), a special niche (tablinum), where the owner's documents were stored 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 furnishing in Old Testament families was preserved until the end of the republic. Then the atrium turned into a public, reception part of the house, a front hall. Here they received guests whom they did not want to introduce 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 testify that this hall was divided, if necessary, by curtains and drapes into separate spaces.

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 called "Atrium houses as an example of eco-architecture". Since this performance attracted the attention of many guests and participants of the Festival, we considered it possible to place the contents of the past master class in the form of an article publication on the "Construction Expert" portal.

Disclosure of the topic "Atrium buildings - as an example of eco-architecture" is appropriate to begin with an explanation of the basic concepts. What is an atrium? According to the generally accepted definition, an atrium is a public space that develops, as a rule, vertically. A special case of the atrium is the gallery, which is a single space formed along the main pedestrian communications. Thus, the atrium can be compared to a blocked courtyard, and the gallery - to a blocked 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 a person, feel healthy, prosperous and reasonable. A person, realizing himself as such, will lead a harmonious lifestyle, choosing for himself and his family clean, renewable building materials, economical, efficient building maintenance systems.

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

Everyone has heard the saying: we are what we eat. I propose to expand its meaning - we are where we live and work. To the greatest extent, a person is 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 through this path many times a day. Question: does this affect the formation of a person’s mood, his worldview? ...

Obviously yes. In buildings with atriums, one can see an alternative principle of organizing space, which gives the architecture a different quality, makes it majestic and attractive, while at the same time 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 was born, as well as to the Middle East and India and see what were the principles of building houses at that time.

The architecture of Ancient Rome is best known to us, and with the word "atrium" many people recall the 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 the other premises were arranged. We agree that this type of house is strikingly different from most modern cottages, and even more so apartments.

Now fast forward to Western Asia, where we find that a characteristic feature of the city is the orientation of the premises to the courtyards. In cities like Isfahan, there is generally no what is known in Europe as the appearance of the building. The main routes of movement of the population pass through the bazaars, which can be considered the prototype of modern galleries. Caravanserai, madrasahs, mosques lying aside from the bazaars are all oriented towards the courtyards, and secondary passages are formed between their outer walls. The result is a city of "interiors". This is how the Muslim approach to the formation of the urban environment and the planning of buildings is characterized.

The traditional architecture of India is based on the knowledge set forth in the science of Vastu (2-3 thousand years BC), which gives 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 rest of the 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 festivities were held in it, children played, in other cases, a high, bright hall was located in the center of the building, which also was the communication center of the house.

Traditional Indian house, according to the science of Vastu. 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. The 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. Such a model is favorably perceived by children, does not create an overwhelming effect and forms another, 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 sacrificed to God during the construction and thereby received his blessings. For example, in India, the central part of the house is called Brahmastan, which literally means "the 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 standpoint of ideas about the physical climate in a house with a central atrium hall, the illumination of the premises and the air exchange in them are improved.

The historical review should be completed with later architectural monuments of the Renaissance. In this regard, we can recall the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome, the work of Andrea Palladio and other masters of that time. In these buildings there are majestic and light atrium spaces, which were the prototypes of modern atriums.

The atrium in public architecture is proposed to be considered, starting with the ecology of the city. The city is an environment in which the social, economic and personal models of behavior of each person are formed. I think no one will argue that a person living in a large city has one rhythm of life, values ​​and views, and an inhabitant of a small town has others. Thus, it becomes obvious that the urban environment most directly affects a person, his attitude to the world and what he understands as an ecological approach to life. By making the urban environment more friendly, co-large to a person, it is possible to change his attitude to the environment, to open 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 the existing building or developing new territories, thinks about getting the maximum profit. This approach in our time is decisive in the development of the project and the search for a project idea. The transport factor is reflected in the fact that cars have become an integral part of the modern city, displacing the pedestrian 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 can feel comfortable and just communicate.

How can the atrium answer the two main 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 above factors.

The development of cities 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, forming 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 building dominants. New construction often began to occupy several neighboring blocks of the old city, blocking the existing pedestrian paths.

In fairness, it should be noted that at present, all planned buildings in Europe and America are blown in wind tunnels, which makes it possible to find optimal solutions for shaping the urban environment.

The first signs of a constructive response to high-rise construction appeared in the mid-1960s, when the period of atrium construction began. In parallel, at the Cambridge Institute, experts conducted a series of studies on the topic "Use of the territory and forms of buildings", which showed the advantages of perimeter development compared to the so-called free planning, consisting of towers and plates. Using the Fresnel square as an example, each belt being equal in area to the others, they clearly demonstrated that the practice of building spaces away from the boundaries of the building site leads to an unnecessary waste of land and energy. The same amount of usable area that tower buildings give can be gained in lower buildings around 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 a 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 terms of reference, 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, not human-scale environment, in which it will be difficult to navigate and drafts may occur. As a result, another solution was proposed: to create a perimeter block building of 7-8-storey buildings with central atrium courtyards. This option differed from the first one in its structure, it forms exactly the traditional urban environment, comfortable and on-scale for a person, the environment that we are used to seeing in the historical centers of cities.

In addition to the fact that atrium buildings provide efficient use of the territory, they add pedestrian spaces to the city. These spaces, having a purely urban character, can equally well serve as communications and places of concentration of various types of activity. As passageways, they can link the inner territories of different neighborhoods, cutting corners of the main streets, resurrecting the intricacies of traditional urban routes.

Now let's try to understand what the atrium in the building gives to save energy 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 overlapping not individual houses, but entire areas of the city. Further studies have shown that, in this way, about 50% of the heat used for heating buildings is saved, and modern materials make it possible to further reduce heat losses. Glass coverings do not prevent buildings and streets from being heated by solar energy, but, like vestibules, they prevent heat loss through building openings. In summer, on the contrary, these coverings use a louvered system to shade the interior buildings, and open hatches provide enhanced 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 protection as a whole is 4 times higher than that of the walls.

In public buildings, artificial lighting usually consumes a huge amount of energy, 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 especially economical if the design also reduces heat loss, which can be achieved in buildings with atria. The atrium makes it possible to make the buildings deeper, with a smaller perimeter of the outer walls, and thereby save on heating, while the normative illumination parameters are provided in the premises.

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

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

Increasing the height of the premises;

Reducing the width of the premises;

Creation of additional reflective surfaces;

Finishing the atrium with materials with a high reflectivity.

So, with a standard room height of 2.7 m, it is possible to provide a standard indicator for illumination to a depth of not more than 6 m, with an increase in height to 3.6 m, the illuminated depth will increase to 9 m.

In atrium buildings, direct light from above is reflected several times before reaching the work surface. An atrium can be compared to a light guide, in which the level of light flux depends on the nature of the surface of the walls. If the walls of the atrium are all glass or fully open, then an insignificant part of the world will be able to reach the lower level. The rational use of light suggests a system in which as much light would be lost at each level as needed to illuminate this level, and the rest would spread 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 roof surface, so it is best to make it high or arrange a special lantern taken out of the spaces used. The lantern is also convenient because it uses side lighting, and is especially attractive in the northern regions. Side lighting is structurally less complex than a glass roof.

From the standpoint of creating a microclimate, it is important to determine the type of atrium before designing. The atrium can be designed to store heat, to remove heat, or to alternate between these functions.

The decisive factor in choosing the type of atrium is the climatic factor. However, in buildings of various shapes and purposes, the microclimate parameters can differ significantly. Buildings with deep spaces intended for retail or offices suffer from an excess of heat almost all year round, especially in their central areas. The use of an atrium, for example, in the renovation of such buildings, can solve this problem by providing additional ventilation through the atrium. When designing an atrium, it is also important to know the required level of comfort in it, the most optimal use of 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 carried out at the Laboratory of Virtual Architecture LLC under the direction 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 the atriums. Here the atrium develops from the entrance vertically down and up. It contains several stairs, 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 exposition constantly changes, new volumes of halls and halls open up. The presence of an anti-aircraft lamp in the center helps to navigate well in such a diverse space. When designing an atrium, it is important to correctly separate the flow of people, especially when it comes to larger atriums. The transit flow of visitors should not intersect with those people who use the atrium as a public space for recreation and leisure. This project shows all the "pluses" of using materials with a high reflectivity 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 want 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 office center its name. The atrium is filled with sunlight several times a day, bringing joy and energy to all employees of the center. 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 space in the west and the corridor in the center receive light, creating quality workspaces at every level. The building itself is designed in such a way as to provide sunlight to the technical school located on the neighboring site, for which its western part and the atrium cover are sloping in a northwesterly direction.

Diagonal House Business Center, 9th floor plan. Architects S. Kulish, V. Lipatov, D. Zhukov, N. Chernyakov, interior design 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.

Summing up, once again it should be said once again why atrium buildings deserve our attention.

Firstly, atrium buildings in urban historical centers can breathe new life into the city, 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 vivid 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 was convinced from his own experience in Moscow on the example of the Diagonal House business center, which is completely filled with tenants, despite the fact that neighboring buildings are half empty.

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

Buildings with atriums are particularly susceptible to cultural and technological influences at the same time, which allows 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, the architect is able to change the quality of human life, and at the same time reduce energy consumption and other costs of building operation.