A roof like none other The Times of India, Lucknow [03 March, 2007]

Atriums are being widely appreciated in Lucknow’s commercial buildings, finds out Mayura Mathur

First it was the gazebo and now its the atrium that is proving to be a popular concept, especially with the slew of malls and multiplexes making their presence felt in the city. India architecture has always been known for picking concept from the western architecture and polishing them in our own traditional and classic blends which reflect our Indian culture.

Originally the word atrium referred to the mother’s bedroom in old Latin households. The impluvium was the shallow pool sunken into the floor to catch the rainwater. Some surviving examples are beautifully decorated. The opening in the ceiling above the pool called for some means of support for the roof. And it is here where one differentiates between five different style of atrium.

ATRIUM TUSCANIUM: This type had no columns. The weight of the ceiling was carried by the rafters. Though expensive to build, it seems to have been the most widespread type of atrium in the Roman houses.

ATRIUM TETRASTYLUM: This type had one column at each corner of the impluvium.

ATRIUM CORINTHIUM: This type was similar to the atrium tetrastylum but had a greater opening in the roof and a greater number of columns.

ATRIUM DISPLUVIATUM: The roof actually sloped towards the side walls, so a large amount of rainwater ran off into other outlets than impluvium.

ATRIUM TESTUDINATUM: This atrium had no opening in the roof at all and was only seen in small, unimportant houses.

But the present day concept of an atrium is all-together different and is considered a place to meet and make choices, owing to the kind of visibility it provides to the people prevent in it. The city has several buildings that boast of beautiful atriums, mostly in Atrium testudinatum or Atrium displuviatum styles. Some such building includes the Mandi Parishad, IIM Lucknow, the East End Mall, the Eldeco Greens, Fun Republic and the Saharaganj.

AK Pachauri, chief architect, Sahara Housing and Infrastructure, while explaining the utility of atriums, especially in malls, says, “An atrium has the excellent inherent capacity to visually present the total galaxy of facades on the lower as well as upper floors.” He further explains. “The focal points of attraction are all present and convenient for the customers to make choices and pick up the places one needs to visit.” This as well as the immense possibilities offered for imparting character to the interior space has made the atrium a well accepted and obvious architectural feature in malls.

Anupam Mittal, Architecture plus, informs, “Atriums always accentuate the feature of a building and when build on a substantial elevation also provide magnificence to it.”

But architect DS Bhui while commenting on the growing popularity of atriums in commercial buildings, points out that even through the concept has existed in the minds of architects even in the past, it is only now that it has been widely accepted. For example, “A receding atrium was built in SGPGI way back in 1982. This atrium was made in a manner in which that the statue of Sanjay Gandhi would be visible from all corners of the block. However, since this concept then was not welcomed well, people hardly took notice of it and today there would be a very few Lucknowites who would know of its existence.”

At the same time, Bhui points out certain pitfalls one should be aware of while introducing atriums in buildings. He says, “Atrium concepts have always been a problem area for the fire-fighting departments, the argument being that the fire-fighting measures were never adequate in the past for an atrium. However off late with the new building law coming in, which make atriums more passable, the builders today are experiencing a relief in designing.”

Talking about the maintenance of atrium interiors, AK Pachauri comments, “Besides initial attractive rendering of interiors with a theme, proper lighting and visibility during day and night is essential. Soothing colours and plants provide the ambience needed to open the mind and spirit. Ease of movement and space modulation must be created by proper placement of features and fixture.