Conference, convention or congress room?

The work environment provides more and more often moments of meeting and information sharing. The new organizational policies push towards a more regular use of common spaces. A significant role is played by the conference room, which is called to respond to various business needs. In fact, a conference, a congress and a convention are not exactly the same thing! The conference is a non-periodic meeting organized on subjects that do not presuppose specializations (guests and hosts can operate in different sectors, as in the case of the press conference). The congress is a periodic meeting, with a longer duration and with participants sharing the same professional interests (for example the medical congress). The purpose of a convention is information or training, therefore the event is not periodic and may involve members from inside aroused the host company. From the thematic conventions open to customers and partners through to videoconferencing or e-learning sessions, through brainstorming appointments, the meeting room environment requests multidisciplinary skills.

Functionality, aesthetics, technological equipment

When designing a space to be used as a “conference room”, different elements must be taken into account. First of all, the three pillars: functionality, aesthetics and technological equipment. In fact, the training activity will have a better impact if the environment is comfortable, spacious, well-lit and with proper acoustics! To organize synergy of these essential aspects for a place that intends to favor concentration and productivity is not at all simple!
Let’s start from the impact generated in the moment we cross the threshold of a conference room. The first thing our eye perceives is the proportionality of the dimensions. Is the room wide enough? Is it possible to move freely? Is the view and comfort guaranteed to all participants? Remember that the conference room reflects the corporate image not only to its employees but also to all external customers who occasionally stay there, physically or virtually. So the proportions, design and colors of the furnishings are also examined even by those who connect by online screen. It is good to choose decorations and furniture that are not too bold to avoid diverting attention from the conference itself. The technological equipment is now a sine qua non condition. Screens, wifi, projectors… All the devices necessary for the “livability” of the space must be provided, in order not to force the participants to leave the room.

The case: Aulas Colegio De Médicos di Valencia

The Medical Association of Valencia has requested to the Mas Millet Arquitectors an integral intervention in the distribution, materials and technological elements of the two conference rooms Barcia Goyanes and Severo Ochoa. The main goal of the College Board was: to give the new space a contemporary, calm and attractive image, by limiting economic and material resources to the essential.
The project saw the merging of the two rooms to obtain a diaphanous space of 255 square meters with a capacity of 130 people. Thanks to an acoustic mobile partition the room becomes multi-purpose: there is in fact the possibility of dividing it in two spaces with a capacity of 80 and 30 people respectively.
The key interventions were the elimination of the false ceiling that covered the beams, which created a claustrophobic feeling, and the acoustic reform that involved interventions both in the horizontal configuration and in the vertical enclosure with the covering of sound-absorbing panels.
Finally, LED lighting technology has allowed the environment to adapt to the necessary use, be it a projection, a round table or a debate; as well as significantly reducing the consumption and maintenance costs.

Conference room chairs

Congress participants spend a lot of time sitting in the room that hosts it. For the Medical Association it was therefore important that the chairs were comfortable in order not to force the body to assume an unnatural position. The choice was based on quality seating, designed and produced with attention to ergonomics and with the possibility of padding.
Our Sunny New was conceived as a community seat for contract and home environments. Enriched with armrests with shaped support, to which has been attached a functional tablet-desk. It is perfect for conference venues! The chromed 4-leggs frame, the white polypropylene backrest, the padding assembled to the seat structure give an elegant touch, while maintaining the sobriety of the design.