Heliocaminus
Heliocaminus refers to a solar heated room, one example, the remains of which can still be seen, is found at the thermal complex of Hadrian's Villa at ancient Tivoli in Italy. The villa was the luxurious Roman residence of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (the years 117 to 138), which is said to have become a type of test bed or laboratory for architectural and artistic creativity, where technological and architectonical innovations were experimented with (MacDonald and Pinto, 2006).
The heliocaminus, a term based on Ancient Greek and Latin, (also translated as solar furnace), at Hardrian's villa it was a large circular room with a coffered dome roof, a central oculus and large south facing windows, it was heated through a combination of the passive solar gains and massive structure and a hot-air under floor heating system invented by the Romans. It was first identified by the use of the solar stove (Paribeni, 1922), then by Sudatio or underfloor air heated sauna (Verduchi, 1975), then by a heated swimming pool (Manderscheid, 1998).
Today Villa Adriana or Hadrian's Villa near Tivoli can still be visited as one of the best kept and most visited archaeological sites in Italy it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. It is found at the foot of the Tiburtine Hills the vast residential complex originally spread over around 120 hectares (about 300 acres) including the thermal baths, temples, barracks, theatres, gardens, fountains, nymphaeums and the villa itself, around 40 hectares are now open to the public.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Botanical gardens
- Biomes.
- BRE National Solar Centre.
- Building an extension.
- Conservatory.
- Garden greenhouse.
- Hydroponics and buildings.
- Large scale solar thermal energy.
- Odeillo solar furnace.
- Renewable energy sources: how they work and what they deliver: Part 4: Solar thermal hot water systems DG 532 4.
- Sauna.
- Solar heat gain coefficient.
- Solar photovoltaics.
- Solar thermal systems
- Sunspace.
- Types of glass.
- Twenty winters of Bedzed.
- Winter gardens.
[edit] External links
Featured articles and news
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.
BSRIA Occupant Wellbeing survey BOW
Occupant satisfaction and wellbeing tool inc. physical environment, indoor facilities, functionality and accessibility.