Hello there!
Finding the perfect venue is often a hassle (thankfully, 3A Event Solutions offers Venue sourcing services); and when you finally do, it's important to know exactly how to seat your guests/audience to adequately pass across your message. The seating arrangement will often determine the level of interaction and organisation of your event; so be sure to discuss your options with your planner.
While a lot of the options below are linked to specific types of events, there are no hard and fast rules; so be creative!
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.
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.
Positives:
- All of the seats are angled inward towards the podium.
- 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.
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.
Positives:
- The open end provides a focal point and allows for a presentation area.
- Allows presenter to approach and engage with each audience member.
Negatives:
- Inefficient use of floor space, with seating capacity reduced.
- Aisles are required to ensure sufficient access and egress to seating area.
- There is no provision for note taking or consumption of plated food and beverage.
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.
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
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
Positives:
- The open end allows for a focal point or presentation area.
Negatives:
- Inefficient use of floor space, with seating capacity reduced.
Positives:
- Most efficient use of floor space, with maximum room capacity available.
- Audience interaction greatly enhanced, with audience members able to freely mingle and roam.
Negatives:
- Audience is standing with no opportunity to sit and rest.
- Does not allow for note taking or consumption of plated food and beverage except if cocktail table is provided for.
(Credit: www.stagingconnections.com)
Finding the perfect venue is often a hassle (thankfully, 3A Event Solutions offers Venue sourcing services); and when you finally do, it's important to know exactly how to seat your guests/audience to adequately pass across your message. The seating arrangement will often determine the level of interaction and organisation of your event; so be sure to discuss your options with your planner.
While a lot of the options below are linked to specific types of events, there are no hard and fast rules; so be creative!
1. Theatre (Popular for meetings, product launches)
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.
2. Classroom (Popular for trainings, conferences and lectures)
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.
3. Herringbone (Popular for trainings, conferences and lectures)
This style is very similar to Classroom, however each consecutive row of chairs and tables are angled inwards.Positives:
- All of the seats are angled inward towards the podium.
- 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.
4. U-Shape (Popular for trainings, conferences, workshops, meetings)
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.
5. Horse Shoe (Popular for large meetings, presentations, team briefings)
This style is very similar to U Shape, however there are no tables, only chairs arranged in an open ended configuration with the audience facing inwards.Positives:
- The open end provides a focal point and allows for a presentation area.
- Allows presenter to approach and engage with each audience member.
Negatives:
- Inefficient use of floor space, with seating capacity reduced.
- Aisles are required to ensure sufficient access and egress to seating area.
- There is no provision for note taking or consumption of plated food and beverage.
6. Hollow Square (Popular for discussions)
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.
7. Boardroom (Popular for small meetings, one on one interviews, small presentations, team briefings.)
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
8. Banquet (Popular for breakfast, lunch or dinner events.)
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
9. Cabaret (Popular with training sessions, working lunch or team workshops.)
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.
10. Cocktail (Popular for parties, social events.)
This style is unlike any others with no chairs or tables. It is literally standing space. These days, however, cocktail tables are set up to allow for plated food and beverage placement.Positives:
- Most efficient use of floor space, with maximum room capacity available.
- Audience interaction greatly enhanced, with audience members able to freely mingle and roam.
Negatives:
- Audience is standing with no opportunity to sit and rest.
- Does not allow for note taking or consumption of plated food and beverage except if cocktail table is provided for.
(Credit: www.stagingconnections.com)
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