Seven types of corporate auditorium

Finding they need to educate and interact with their workforces on a larger scale, companies are looking to other areas for inspiration on pimping up their in-house presentation spaces.

By James Wormald

March 3, 2022 | 11:00 pm CUT

Slim-format Mura A seating from LAMM helps provide specialist auditorium settings in smaller spaces

The large company meeting used to be a very seldom gathering, reserved only for special occasions – Christmas parties, annual reports, bonus announcement celebrations. This was partly due to the simple fact that, although mostly happy occasions, they were so darn uncomfortable. Tens if not hundreds of bodies, crammed into the biggest meeting room, or bothering a receptionist with one ear on proceedings and the other still fielding calls.

As each workplace moves towards its own hybrid work model, edutaining Zoomspace meetups could become a thing of the past

The enforced move to the Zoomspace, however, has allowed the practice to become much more prevalent, more enjoyable and indeed, more useful, with employees often treated to engaging presentations that give them a better understanding of their industry, as well as their company’s – and their own – role within it.

As each workplace moves towards its own hybrid work model, these edutaining meetups could become a thing of the past. By combining their new-found space with inspiration from other areas, offices can learn to provide more comfortable, engaging and focused presentation spaces. Here are some examples:

The Microsoft Center Berlin's communication space offers traditional conference hall temporary seating. Setup is quick and simple for multi-use spaces, but not the most comfortable. Photo: Ulf Büschleb

A History

Back when large-scale WFH was but a twinkling in a futurist’s eye, companies would set up large get-togethers like a conference hall, with stackable temporary seating. The Microsoft Center’s public communication space in Berlin, for example, provided room for up to 400 invited guests in 2013. Conference rooms like this, however, were uncomfortable for long periods, and the coffee was never nearly strong enough. Presentations felt like dreaded super-meetings, rather than the engaging box-office content they intended.

In modern times, however, hotdesking and hybrid work have afforded workplaces with more space to spread their wings, providing more permanent, fit-for-purpose auditorium-like solutions.

The Zifergauz office's screening room has space for individual armchairs with plenty of legroom. Photo: Daniel Annenkov

Comfortable

As presentations now have the simple ability to broadcast live to non-attending delegates, workplace auditoriums like at the Zifergauz office in St. Petersburg, require fewer seats. The Russian technology company’s presentations can, therefore, be attended in greater comfort, as the cosy-looking armchairs positioned around a large screen and stage attest.

The G.W. Annenberg Performing Arts Centre uses standard theatre auditorium seating (top), like Dynamobel's flip-down Arpa seats (middle & bottom), suitable for corporate settings. Photo: © Kanipak Photography (top)

Entertaining

Keeping hundreds of people comfortable and entertained, sometimes for hours on end, is not an easy task, but it’s one theatre and cinema complexes, like the G.W. Annenberg Performing Arts Centre in Berkshire, UK, achieve with relative ease. Flip-down auditorium seating like Dynamobel’s Arpa, is space-efficient and comfortable, yet hard wearing enough for near-constant use.

Nurus' Conference Chairs (top) feature fold-out work tables, like many auditorium seating solutions in educational settings, such as at the VŠPJ's New Lecture Center (bottom). Photo: BoysPlayNice (bottom)

Focused

Cinemas are even able to incorporate additional functionality to auditorium seating with the inclusion of cup-holders or pivoting tray tables. While, admittedly, it would be nice to be able to have somewhere to put down a bucket of popcorn during an annual report presentation, some options like these Conference Chairs from Nurus take their cue from university lecture auditoriums like VŠPJ’s New Lecture Center in Jihlava, Czech Republic, with fold-out or -down tables to place a notepad or laptop on.

LAMM's Mura A seats (top) save on space, while bleacher benches at Capitec Bank's Headquarters (bottom) share their function with a neighbouring staircase. Photo: Adam Letch (bottom)

Informal

There may be a few extra square metres to spare in the average workplace these days, but there aren’t many offices with space for a full theatre. There are slimmer seating options, however, such as the 30cm-deep Mura A seats from LAMM, for those looking to squeeze as many as possible into screening or presentation rooms, comfortably.

Alternatively, the Capitec Bank Headquarters in Stellenbosch, South Africa, integrates bleacher-style wooden seating and padded cushions with a staircase, for a functional, comfortable and colourful solution to its search for informal presentation space.

The Resa Bilbao office supplements an indoor presentation space (top) with open-air seating (middle), like at Sala Equis (bottom), on the roof. Photos: Masquespacio (top, middle) and Alcia Macias (bottom)

Outdoor

Without much space to part, however, the Resa Bilbao office in Spain has utilised the same bleacher method in a squared amphitheatre for a handful of attendees. Perhaps designers, Masquespacio, looked to the heavens in their search for more space, however, as the office seems to take inspiration from pop-up outdoor cinemas like Sala Equis in Madrid, providing park bench seating and deckchairs for employees to enjoy presentations while relaxing in the Spanish coastal sun.

The Wow Lieven Cultural Hub fills its lobby with café seating and stage, becoming a free-use events space. Photo: Peter Tijhuis

Community

Instead of hiding away inside or on top, however, some buildings like the Wow Lieven Cultural Hub in Amsterdam, position their presentation space on the accessible ground floor instead. Underneath the office space above, the lobby features café seating along with a small stage and backdrop, suitable for hosting community events as well as corporate ones.

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