Theatre versus classroom setup

Theatre and classroom compared

Technical feature	Theatre	Classroom
Floor area per person	0.6 – 0.7 m² / person	1.3 – 1.5 m² / person
Space between rows	45 cm clear (75-80 cm centres)	90 cm clear with a table (1.4 m centres)
Capacity in a 150 m² room	210 – 230 people	100 – 115 people
Best used for	Presentations, general meetings, speeches	Courses, seminars, exams and workshops
Access to power sockets	Difficult — perimeter aisles only	Easy — power strips under the tables

Central and side aisles under fire regulations

In a theatre setup, rows may not exceed 14 consecutive seats if they open onto two side aisles, or 7 seats if the row runs against a wall with no way out.

The central aisle needs a minimum width of 1.2 m and should line up directly with the room's main exit.

Viewing angle and screen height

The first row of chairs should sit at least as far back as the projection screen is tall — roughly 3 to 4 metres from the platform.

The horizontal viewing angle to the outer edge of the screen should not exceed 45 degrees, or the image starts to distort.

Acoustics and reverberation in corporate rooms

A theatre-style room full of people absorbs around 60% more sound than a classroom setup with bare wooden tables.

Frequently asked questions

What size are standard classroom tables?

The most common are 180 × 45 cm or 200 × 50 cm, designed for 3 people per table (60 cm each).

Can the two be combined?

Yes. A semi-classroom format puts continuous tables in the first 4 rows for speakers and VIPs, with theatre rows behind for everyone else.

This, in MisePlan

Floor plan

In MisePlan you draw the room’s real outline on a grid — whatever shape it is, L-shaped or with a cut corner — place the columns and set the doors. The usable floor area is worked out with the voids taken out, not from the rectangle around it, and that plan is reused for every event that passes through the room.

Theatre versus classroom setup for conventions: capacity, sightlines and acoustics

Theatre and classroom compared

Central and side aisles under fire regulations

Viewing angle and screen height

Acoustics and reverberation in corporate rooms

Frequently asked questions

What size are standard classroom tables?

Can the two be combined?

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This, in MisePlan

Floor plan

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