Lecture Hall & Conference

Auditorium project planning is a measurement and planning exercise that comes before product selection. The capacity of an amphitheatre or conference hall is not picked from a catalogue; it emerges from the hall's own geometry. This page explains how we run that process.

How capacity is really calculated

The most common mistake is dividing hall area by an average per person. That method ignores aisles, evacuation routes, step geometry and accessibility gaps, so it deviates noticeably from real capacity.

The correct method works from row lengths: the net width of each row is measured, aisle allowances are deducted and the remaining length is divided into module combinations. In fan-shaped halls, row lengths increase towards the back, so the calculation is repeated for every row.

Seating type: with or without a worktop?

If notes will be taken, lessons taught or laptops used, a worktop is essential — in that case lecture hall desks are chosen. Modules are produced in 2, 3 and 4-seat versions and every row is built from a combination of them.

In listening-focused halls — conferences, seminars, ceremonies, protocol events — no worktop is needed and conference seating offers a more comfortable solution. For the speaker's side, a wooden speaker lectern defines the hall's presentation point.

Steps, installation and timing

In stepped halls one row sits on each step and alignment is set against the step edge. The distance from the seated person to the step in front determines both comfort and evacuation width. Sight lines from the back rows depend on step height and backrest height working together; in refurbishment projects step heights are fixed, so the backrest is assessed against them.

Both lecture hall desks and conference seating are fixed to the floor. Installation timing must therefore be planned for a period when the hall is empty — the break between academic terms and the summer holiday are the most suitable windows. Because drilling the floor produces dust and noise, choosing a period when neighbouring classrooms are also out of use keeps the installation uninterrupted.

Budget and phasing

Auditorium and conference hall projects are the highest-budget items among school furniture, so most institutions split the work into phases. The most common split completes the hall's seating in one year and the stage and presentation equipment the next.

If you are phasing, producing the seating in a single batch matters: upholstery and paint tones may not match exactly across different batches, and in a hall of several hundred seats that shows. Stage, lectern and supporting equipment can comfortably be left to a later phase. Share your budget plan and intended number of phases during the survey and we will clarify together which items must be bought together and which can be separated.

Share your hall plan and we will prepare a layout showing which module combination is used in which row, along with a price quotation. The survey is free of charge.