9 High-Impact Seating Arrangements for Corporate Events

The communication factor on any event is critical. Whether you are setting up a business presentation, training classroom, hosting a full scale gala dinner or product launch, the arrangement of the seating can make all the difference. You have invited your audience to communicate a message, so it’s important that your audience is seated in the best way to achieve the maximum impact for your message!

In this latest blog I have highlighted the nine most popular seating styles so you can choose the best option for your next event.

Theatre

This is the simplest style, reflecting the seating found in a theatre or cinema with chairs aligned in consecutive straight rows.

Positives:
– All of the seats are facing forwards towards the front of the function room.
– Maximum seated capacity is achieved for the function room.

Negatives:
– The audience is closed in, needing to push past other audience members to enter/exit the seating area.
– Aisles are required to ensure sufficient access to seating area.
– There is no provision for note taking or consumption of plated food and beverage.
– Audience interaction is hindered as audience members don’t face each other.

Classroom

This style reflects the seating found in a school or lecture theatre, with chairs and trestle tables aligned in consecutive straight rows.

Positives:
– All of the seats are facing forwards towards the front of the function room.
– Allows for note taking and consumption of plated food and beverage.

Negatives:
– Again the audience is closed in, making it difficult for audience members to enter or exit
– Aisles are required to ensure sufficient access to seating area.
– Seating capacity is reduced by the trestle tables. .
– Audience is less likely to interact as they are not facing each other.

U Shape

As the name suggests this style is in the shape of the letter U, with the tables & chairs arranged in an open ended configuration with the audience facing inwards.

Positives:
– The open end allows for a focal point or presentation area.
– Allows presenter to approach and engage with each audience members.
– Audience interaction is enhanced, with audience members facing each other.

Negatives:
– Inefficient use of floor space, with seating capacity reduced..
– A large proportion of the audience are seated side-on to the presentation area.

Hollow Square

This style is similar to U Shape, however there are four sides and no open end, with the audience all facing inwards.

Positives:
– Audience interaction fully enhanced, with audience members all facing each other
– Allows audience to consume plated food and beverage easily

Negatives:

– Seating capacity is reduced
– Does not allow for a main presentation area or focal point.

Boardroom

This style is a smaller version of the Hollow Square or U Shape, however there is a large elongated table, with the audience all facing inwards.

Positives:
– Encourages audience interaction as they all face inwards

Negatives:
– Restricts the position of a presentation area or focal point, typically to the end of the table

Banquet

This style is similar to a round dinner table, with the audience seated around the circumference facing inwards.

Positives:
– Audience interaction fully enhanced, with audience members all facing each other

Negatives:
– The audience is closed in, needing to push past other audience members to enter/exit the seating area

Cabaret

This style is similar to Banquet style, however there is an open end, with the audience seated in an arc facing forwards.

Positives:
– The open end allows for a focal point or presentation area.

Negatives:
– Inefficient use of floor space, with seating capacity reduced.