Atriums & Auditoriums
An atrium was an open central court that contained the impluvium, a basin where rainwater collected. The atrium was revived in the 20th century in the form of glass-covered, greenery-filled multistory spaces sometimes found in shopping centers, office buildings, and large hotels.
A large room or building where people gather to watch a performance, hear a speech, etc. It is the part of a building (such as a treater) where an audience sits. auditorium refers to the whole building where performances take place, not just the area for the audience. As the spelling of the word suggests, it’s related to the word auditory, meaning “something related to hearing.” In fact, auditorium is a Latin term meaning “a place where something is heard,” – and of course, as high school and college students know all too well, that can mean lectures as well as concerts or plays.