The peristyle garden was the center for "leisure" (otium) in the Roman house. Off this large circulation space were found rooms devoted to dining and the reception of the owner's social equals (amici). The peristyle recreates in miniature the public porticoes found in Roman cities (e.g. the Portico of Octavia in Rome). These public porticoes provided cool, shaded walking space beside temples and theaters, and were often used as outdoor "museums" for the display of art. The peristyle garden in the house alludes to this public, urban form of architectural patronage. The movement from the "negotium" (business) part of the house to the "otium" (leisure) part is marked by the switch from black and white to more complex, colorful floor mosaics.
This room was designed and decorated by David Fredrick
