Vivariums were specialized rooms that were used by the Shaper caste of the Yuuzhan Vong. They were designed to keep germs and other bacterial organisms out during shapings and escalations, essentially functioning as operating rooms.
In 3951 BBY, Ithorians working on Citadel Station maintained a similar type of vivarium within their enclave. Unlike the later Yuuzhan Vong version, however, this room used technology to help grow and maintain different types of plant life.