LOOKBOOK MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM & MEETING SPACES
Today’s modern conference room continuous to evolve with our rapidly changing work environments. It’s all about inclusivity, flexibility, optimized communication & open collaboration.
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MEETINGS ON-THE-GO
Meeting tables with wheels allow for quick set-ups & easy adaptability.
A PLACE TO MEET
While conference tables and meeting spaces do not necessarily align with specific trends in office furniture history, they are universal and ageless in a way that others are not. Throughout time, conference rooms and meeting rooms have been proven to have historical importance: Romans politicized in their designated forums; in every city-state, Greeks had an Agora — a meeting place that served as the center of all aspects of public life; and more recently, the White House has made momentous decisions in its Situation Room — decisions that have shaped modern history. Meeting spaces are eternal, but it wasn’t until the post industrialization period that the term “meeting rooms” were coined due to the rising workforce.
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MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM CHAIRS
Provide style & comfort with modern ergonomic conference chairs.
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POWER MEETINGS, PERFECTED
Create a state-of-the-art conference room that reflects your company’s brand.
RISE OF THE MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM DESIGN
In the past, people attended meetings in a top-down approach where managers would meet in an executive’s office or a conference hall to exchange information and present ideas. Now, businesses are taking a more inclusive, collaborative workforce approach that engages all employees. Modern conference design is changing how companies are configuring their workspaces and their meeting rooms. Smaller spaces, now called Huddle rooms in most corporations, are becoming normalized compared to the traditional 8–15 person conference room.
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THE ART OF HUDDLING TOGETHER
Smaller, informal meeting spaces foster engagement & inclusivity. Inspire creativity & openness by providing a comfortable environment that allows employees to naturally come together, collaborate & and share ideas.
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COLLABORATE IN COMFORT
Comfort is key when it comes to impromptu meetings & touchdown spaces.
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FROM TRADITIONAL TO MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM
Conference rooms are at the center of every workplace. In the past, traditional meeting spaces were more formal, consisting of a private room with a long table that could seat 10-16 people. Used by higher-ups and executives to engage with employees and impress important clients, it was usually furnished with a credenza for storage and a large screen to present information. Today, the importance of conference rooms hasn’t changed, but the way we utilize them have. Research shows that employees now spend an increasing amount of time there to work with their teams; after all, at a time when collaboration is more important than ever, these meeting places are where important exchange of ideas takes place, creativity flows, and key decisions are made. In effect, traditional conference rooms are becoming quickly outdated, and evolving to something more in line with the times. With new generations of entrepreneurs, people are revolutionizing how to work together differently and more effectively, shaping the way the modern conference room and meetings spaces are designed today.
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COLOR & MOVEMENT
Multi-colored stools add movement & fun to early morning meetings.
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(27) Arcadia Intima Collaborative Lounge (28) HON Ignition Chairs (29) Arcadia Domo Meeting Lounge (30) Encore Skyline Meeting Table (31) Allermuir Mote Lounge (32) Stylex Dela Chairs (33) OFS Madrid Seating (34) Encore Hado Table (35) Arcadia Domo Lounge Seating REQUEST MORE INFO
HUDDLE ROOMS & SPACES
From the Industrial Age to present times, the modern conference room design continues to trend towards more casual environments. As mentioned before, the Huddle room is a perfect fit for that criteria; they are great for quick, casual meetings whose rooms don’t need to be overly filled with office furniture. It’s essentially a mini conference space with zero formalities. Small teams can gather easily and swiftly to accomplish their tasks and disassemble just as fast. Huddle rooms are usually equipped with large, height adjustable tables, a large monitor to effortlessly share information and a whiteboard for brainstorming. They are specifically made with the “room” portion in mind, offering an enclosed space for more privacy. Eventually, Huddle rooms gave way to Huddle spaces, which essentially serve the same purpose as Huddle rooms. The only difference is that these spaces can be applied to open plan offices. They’re not always contained in rooms, but still have the same equipment and are less private.
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PRIVACY IS ESSENTIAL
Provide full or partial privacy with modular walls & portable space dividers.
LET'S DO LUNCH
Office breakrooms and lounges lead another popular trend in how workers are finding new, creative ways to not only meet, but also work. While these spaces typically include a kitchen for storing and serving food, along with a designated area for employees to sit down and eat, many are finding that they can be the perfect place to casually meet and/or work. The relaxing and laid-back atmosphere of the office breakroom helps foster camaraderie and boosts team morale, allowing for work and relaxation to go hand in hand. It doubles as a place for colleagues to meet and work together, and engage in creative sharing and brainstorming in a less structured environment — especially when they need a momentary escape from their stuffy cubicles or desks.
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(44) OFS Riff Ping Pong Conference Table (45) Scale 1:1 Nomad Ping Pong Conference Table REQUEST MORE INFO44
PLAY AT WORK
Make meetings more fun & dynamic with ping-pong conference tables.
TACTICAL MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM FURNITURE
Tactical execution spaces are a more private or semi-private set-up that act as a multi-purpose room. Tactical execution spaces — also known in some industries as war rooms — are made with small groups or teams in mind. They are meant to keep track of projects, metrics, and share information. A tactical execution space works best with groups who have clearly defined goals. It aims to provide an area for people to get in the zone and concentrate together without outside distractions. The furniture in this modern conference room consists of a mid-sized table, comfortable office chairs, whiteboards, storage, and audio/visual technology for sharing data and information.
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KEEPING IT CASUAL
A casual yet intimate lounge set-up makes an inviting space to meet.
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TYPES OF MODERN CONFERENCE TABLES
Aside from the different types of meeting spaces, conference tables are what really set the tone of the room. It’s important to note that conference tables are not one-size-fits-all. There are multiple types of tables and setups designed for specific scenarios or use. Some tables are designed to even be multi-purpose and serve many applications.
(54) Arcadia WorkSmith Meeting Table (55) Encore String Games Meeting Table (56) Encore String Games Meeting Table (57) National Tarver Conference Table (58) OFS Eleven Wood Conference Table (59) National WaveWorks Conference Table (60) Arcadia WorkSmith Meeting Table (61) National Tessera Conference Table (62) Arcadia WorkSmith Meeting Table REQUEST MORE INFO
RECTANGULAR CONFERENCE TABLES
Rectangular tables are the classic, beautiful, powerful, executive conference tables people visualize when they think about meeting tables. They’re universal and are the natural choice for medium to large enterprises. These are great for formal meetings. They give the impression that your company is in control and your people are the best of the best. Rectangular tables can be larger in scale, unlike square or round tables that become impractical when excessive in size. With rectangular tables, you can easily accommodate as many as two dozen to fifty people depending on the design.
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SQUARE CONFERENCE TABLES
Square tables are multifunctional. They come in various sizes, but the larger ones give the perfect amount of space for large-scale presentations, brainstorming sessions and spreading out. Compared to circular tables, square tables have extra work surfaces that may be more useful. They fit well in open plan offices, and can be placed in a central location as a focal point, or can be pushed to the side of the room to not disturb other workers. Another advantage would be that they can be aligned with other tables to make a larger table to accommodate more people conveniently.
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SENSIBLY SQUARE
Use individually or nest square tables together to accommodate larger groups.
ROUND & OVAL CONFERENCE TABLES
Round or Circular conference tables are great for people meeting on equal footing. Round tables allow for people to have good eye contact and an equal share of power. They are also convenient for smaller meeting rooms; a perfect office solution since saving space is always part of the goal. For meetings where participation takes priority instead of being the center of attention or establishing hierarchy, a circular table is most functional and ideal.
Oval or Racetrack conference tables provide a great balance between rectangular, square, and circular tables. This design can be elliptical (oval shaped) or can also be rectangular, featuring straight edges but rounded corners. It can seat more than a circular while simultaneously being more stylish than a square table. In addition, the oval or racetrack table can be large enough to seat many people but in a slightly smaller space than what a rectangular form would demand. They provide optimum seating capacity without restricting movement in medium-sized conference rooms. Modern conference table designs have ensured that this particular configuration can preserve the intimacy of working with a team instead of making people feel like they are yelling across an expansive divide.
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OPTIMAL WITH OVAL
Oval or racetrack conference tables offer many meeting advantages, providing optimum seating capacity without restricting movement. This configuration accommodates an intimate way of meeting for larger groups, in areas that may have limited space.
MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM FURNITURE DURING A WORLD PANDEMIC
When the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the world in 2020, countless businesses were forced to shut down and those that remained open had to adapt to a new way of working. As we slowly recovered and businesses began re-opening, we realized that we didn’t necessarily have to be together in the same room to meet. Statistics showed that there were 55 million meetings taking place every day, regardless of the pandemic. 37% of work time was spent during them. Technological advancements in video conferencing and visual communications took great leaps forward in order to meet the ongoing demands of people in schools, businesses and government institutions to continue to communicate and collaborate.
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TO EACH HIS OWN
Individual, folding tables can be nested together as a clever way to stay separated while meeting.
KEEPING TOGETHER, APART
There are now tools that allow for an alternative way to meet in the event that people can’t physically come together, but we can’t dismiss the benefits of in-person interaction. Human beings are social creatures; socializing is almost as crucial as food and water for survival. Online communication has proven to be less satisfying than face-to-face for many reasons. For one, online interactions may promote passive engagement. Distractions in the form of social platforms such as Twitter or Facebook take the individual away from the conversation and towards passive engagement; the equivalent of watching television, which has shown to decrease mood and overall well-being. Also, interactions online may be fragmented, and responses delayed. Online conversations are not conducive to free, open communication the way in person interaction is since the other party may essentially step out at any time. This means that others may not feel the need to open up and share things on a deeper level. A balance of virtual and real world interactions is needed to keep up with the times, and maintain our health and well-being. When possible, meet up in person, but implement office social distancing solutions to modern conference room furniture setups when necessary.
(74) National Mio Audio/Visual Media Conference Table (75) Enwork Skyline Screens Conference Table Application (76) Global Linking Panels REQUEST MORE INFO
SMART SEPARATION
Cleverly designed barriers help promote social distancing at work.
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MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM DESIGNS OF THE FUTURE
All in all, meeting spaces are eternal. It’s where people come together to share ideas and inspire one another, and make important decisions. History has shown many different incarnations of the conference room: the Romans with their public forums, the Greeks with their Agoras, and of course, the White House with the Situation Room. However, as new generations step forth, how we utilize them are continuously changing and redefined. Only time can tell how modern conference rooms and meeting spaces will evolve to serve our way of working in the future. Whether a balance of formal and informal; of traditional and not-so-traditional; of real and virtual — one thing’s for sure: in a world recovering from the aftermath of a pandemic, and racing into a future of augmented realities, artificial intelligence and virtual everything, it’ll sure be exciting to see what’s next.
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MODERN CONFERENCE ROOM TABLE AND CHAIRS RESOURCES
A Special Thanks to our Commercial Office Furniture Partners: 9to5 Seating, AIS, Allermuir, Arcadia Contract, DeskMakers, Encore Seating, Enwork, ERG International, Fulbright Glass Boards, Global Furniture Group, HAT Collective, HON Office Furniture, Humanscale, National Office Furniture, ODS / Office Design Studio, OFS, Rouillard, Scale 1:1, The Senator Group, Source International, Stylex Seating and Trendway