Workplace technology and the ability to work remotely or in a hybrid context has transformed the way people work. The conference room has evolved into a modern conference room technology space with custom conference tables which create flexibility for training, conferencing, collaboration and hybrid meetings.
Our design team at SMARTdesks crafts solutions for each space to include state-of-the-art technology. Our team assesses the conference room requirements and client’s mission by taking into account the room size, the number of people that can optimally utilize the space and the desired functionality of the room with access for remote, hybrid or in person meetings.
What Is a Conference Room?
A conference room serves many purposes and can be configured to be flexible, accommodating, digitally connected, and traditionally purposed as a meeting space. Conference rooms and the office conference tables inside, facilitate meetings, trainings, and team collaborations in a conducive environment set apart from the larger workplace. A well designed and outfitted conference room serves as a hub of community sharing and fosters teamwork, engagement and participation.
Multimedia conference tables offer the most flexibility for in person, remote and hybrid meetings. SMARTdesks differentiates itself from the mundane conference tables of the 20th century with the innovative integration of power and data ports into uniquely shaped geometries of conference tables. These shapes fit specifically within the room dimension and ergonomically create inclusive lines of sight for all participants who have a seat at the table as well as virtual participants working in remote locations.
What Are Conference Room Requirements?
The requirements for a conference room and the equipment within it will vary depending on the room’s purpose. Design planning with key stakeholders will ensure the most productive space for any team. Parameters for the conference room include room dimensions, audio visual and technology requirements, appropriate seating, lines of sight and ADA access. Here is a general guide for the requirements of different spaces and the technology that can support them.
- One-On-One or Private Space: A place for two people to meet in a quiet, private setting. A SMARTdesk such as the Cirrus Rectangular Table equipped with a CPU holder, laptop storage, keyboard tray, and more can facilitate a productive session between two employees.
- Huddle Spaces: Small meeting spaces for brainstorming and collaboration sessions in an open plan learning space or small room. What is a huddle table? Typically, they are smaller and rounder tables that face a large screen that caters to presentations and meetings with someone who is not in person. These spaces work wonders for smaller teams collaborating on projects. SMARTdesks offers a Boost Collaborative Conference Table which is a terrific example of a huddle space conference table.
- Small Conference Spaces: These spaces can typically fit teams of up to 10 people. The space is conducive to Hybrid Meetings accommodating both in person and virtual participants.. Small conference rooms can feature several different styles of tables and multiple screens to increase productivity.
- Large Conference Spaces: The large conference space is suitable for large groups and can seat many people depending on the room size and shape. Standard sizes can accommodate up to 18 people and custom tables can seat many more. These larger conference tables are flexible in purpose from training, collaboration, to traditional boardroom conferences. The SMARTdesks Piano Duet Conference Tables can seat 10 to 18 users and can support all of their devices and serve as a Hybrid Meeting hub..
What Makes a Great Conference Room?
A great conference room is designed to fulfill the mission of the organization. It is comfortable for all parties in attendance both in person, hybrid or remote. A leader can command from the head of a rectangular conference table. A team can collaborate at a round or triangular conference table. In short, a great conference room is a space where people feel included and engaged.
A common question we hear is, “How do you size a conference room table?” A number of factors influence the best sized conference table:
- What are the room dimensions?
- What is the maximum number of people who will sit at the table?
- What is the purpose of the conference room?
- Is it a boardroom?
- A training room?
- A deposition room?
- A collaboration space?
- How much space should be between the conference table and the wall?
- How do I choose a conference table?
The free design consultation with our designers will help you clarify the vision, mission, and purpose of your Conference Room and help you choose the best conference table or custom conference table for your conference room. Send us a no obligation request today: Design Request Form
What Are Conference Tables Used For?
Conference Tables serve many functions and can provide multi purpose functions with multimedia capabilities. Some of the purposes are listed below but do not represent all the possibilities.
- The Boardroom
- The Collaboration Conference Room
- The Training Room
- The Team Workshop Room
- The Deposition Room
- The Situation Room
- The Debriefing Room
- The Deal Room
- The Hybrid meeting Room
What are the types of conference tables?
There are several types of conference tables that are typically described by size, materials, and shape.
- Size – Common conference table sizes include: 8 feet long, 10 feet long, and 12 feet long with 12 being the most popular size. SMARTdesks’ design team will collaborate with you to create the perfect conference table with the exact size and number of seats needed.
- Materials – Popular materials for conference tables include: hardwood, veneer, glass, steel, stone, and PVC. Wood conference tables are a timeless classic that many customers choose. Here at SMARTdesks, we build our conference tables using only the highest quality materials including hardwood, veneer, laminates, thermofoils with an aesthetic range of edge treatments.
- Shape – Typical shapes for conference tables include: rectangular, u-shape, boat, round, keystone, modular, and triangular. Each shape has its own advantages and disadvantages, especially once introduced into a unique space.
With so many conference tables to choose from, how do you find the best conference table to suit your specific needs and budget? How do you integrate computers, technology, power and data, specifically for your conference room? Who can help you configure the space, accommodate the number of people, the seating, the visualization and access and the design to fulfill your mission from concept to reality? SMARTdesks is your total solutions provider who has answered these questions for over 25 years.
How Do I Choose a Conference Table?
Surprisingly to some, choosing the perfect conference table is a difficult decision. The great news is that if you have an industry leader to guide you through the process, your conference table and room will be a success!. Visit with our SMARTdesks design team by scheduling a meeting through our Integrated Design Services link.
SImply fill out the form and briefly describe your project. Our experienced team will contact you to discover your project parameters and goals, furnishing needs, and budget. We will collaborate with your stakeholders to create the most suitable and mission centric conference table for your organization. And, of course, everything we put together for you will follow the ADA requirements for the space.
Where Can SMARTDesks Be Used?
SMARTdesks are utilized around the world from government offices, health care facilities, corporate business centers and throughout all levels of educational institutions from Kindergarten through Universities. SMARTdesks facilitates learning, collaboration, productivity while integrating technology, ergonomics and best practices for Hybrid flexibility at work, school and meetings.
What Are the Benefits of SMARTDesks?
Modern conference room technology can elevate the accomplishments of an individual teacher, an educational institution, a law firm or a Fortune 500 company. The modern and thriving workplaces of today present an opportunity to build a new, more resilient environment through this technology to
- Power hybrid work ecosystems
- Deliver a cultural hub for your diverse team
- Embrace scalable, long-term planning
- Offer space diversity for various projects and meeting types
- Incentivise more collaboration
Convert your Conference room with SMARTdesks
Our team at SMARTdesks works for you and with you through every stage of the process. SMARTdesks includes all the project stakeholders in a dialogue of collaboration to create the solutions, answers, and vision of your ideal Conference Room.
Get started with us today by filling out our quote request form to begin the journey of designing, building and installing your custom conference table.
