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	Roman atrium house - form and function
	written by jwang3 / 09.22.2005

Section Six

6 of 7

Personal Observations

http://sights.seindal.dk/photo/9587.html

House of the Faun

View of the fauces from inside the house

As a Biochemistry student, I am interested in form and function – why a molecule is shaped a certain way, how it fits into biochemical processes, and the role it plays in maximizing human efficiency. For that reason, I chose to research the topic of the Roman atrium house, specifically its form and function. Each aspect of the Roman atrium house is designed for a specific purpose that is either practical or symbolical. For example, the length of the corridors and the positions of the tabernas minimize the amount of noise and smell coming from the street; the impluvium and compluvium work in collaboration to conserve water and bring light to the space; most importantly, the linear visual axis of the fauces-atrium-tablinium establishes the “matrix of the authority of the father.”

Because my site was not in Rome but Pompeii, I was unable to visit it before giving my presentation. When we finally arrived at the House of the Faun (the house chosen for my presentation), my understanding of the use of space in the Roman atrium house was uplifted. Instead of viewing the house as individual pictures found in books or over the internet pieced together, I was able to see the house as a continuous whole. The phrase “move through the space” is used so commonly in this class that it has become somewhat cliché. I discovered, however, that a genuine understanding Roman architecture and use of space is impossible without a firsthand experience of how the building affects the movement of its visitor. I had to see the linear visual axis for myself, observe the raised position of the tablinium, and experience the effect of the lighting on the peristylum half of the house in order to fully comprehend the form and function of the Roman atrium house.

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