When does a meeting room without fixed walls work?
A dedicated meeting room is not needed for every meeting. Short team meetings, project reviews, brainstorming sessions and joint review of materials can often be held in an open-plan space, provided the area is clearly separated from the surrounding workstations.
A meeting area of this kind is particularly well suited to a multi-space office, where the same space is used in different ways depending on the working day and the projects at hand. This openly defined area can be used for team meetings in the morning, for project work later on, and for informal discussions in the afternoon.
An open consultation area is a viable option when:
- Discussions are not confidential
- meetings are usually short
- There are few participants
- the aim is to keep the venue easily accessible
- it must be possible to change the intended use of the premises
- The aim is to avoid permanent construction work.
However, an open-plan layout is not the same as a closed meeting room. It can help to organise the space and reduce visual distractions, but it does not guarantee privacy of conversation.
An open consultation area can be demarcated without permanent structures
An open-plan workspace can be defined, for example, using furniture, carpets, lighting and acoustic partitions. The aim is to make the purpose of the area clear to both its users and those working nearby.
STORY WALL floor divider is a portable and modular acoustic room divider that can be used to demarcate workstations, project areas and meeting spaces. The wheeled elements can be combined to form various configurations, and the taller STORY WALL HIGH room divider provides more visual cover than usual in an open environment.
However, the STORY WALL room divider does not turn an open-plan area into a soundproof room. It helps to divide the space, reduce direct line of sight and minimise the spread of sound, but people working nearby can still hear the conversation. Therefore, an open meeting area is best suited to general collaboration, not to the discussion of confidential matters.
Elements that support work, such as a screen, a whiteboard or other presentation surfaces, can be added to the space divider. In this way, the open-plan area also serves as a platform for project work and workshops.
When is a private POD meeting room needed?
A private meeting room is justified when the privacy offered by an open-plan area is insufficient. Examples of such situations include staff appraisals, client meetings, video conferences and longer meetings where ambient noise or movement disturbs concentration.
A ready-to-use POD meeting space creates a separate, enclosed area within the office without the need to build a traditional, permanent meeting room in the building. INTO Concept’s in our range of acoustic workspaces and meeting rooms There are options ranging from workspaces for a single person to meeting rooms for several users. The range also includes movable solutions that can be repositioned as space requirements change.
A private POD meeting room is particularly suitable when:
- the nature of the conversation calls for greater privacy
- Audio and video links will be used during the meeting
- Background noise must not make it difficult to hear
- meetings tend to last longer than usual
- Participants clearly need their own space
- There aren’t enough small meeting rooms in the office.
An open-plan workspace and a closed POD space are therefore not direct substitutes for one another. They meet different needs within the working environment.
First, specify the intended use of the meeting room
When designing a meeting room, it is best to start with the activities that will take place there, rather than the choice of products. First, you need to decide what will be done in the room, how many people will use it, and what level of privacy the work requires.
An open, easily accessible area is often sufficient for short status meetings. It does not need to be bookable for long periods, and the furniture should be suited to short discussions.
A longer planning meeting places greater demands on the venue. Participants need a table that is large enough, comfortable seating, good lighting, power sockets for their devices and, possibly, a screen for remote participants.
Confidential conversations, on the other hand, require a private space. A visual barrier alone is not enough if you do not want the conversation to be overheard.
As a basis for the planning, it is advisable to define at least the following:
- usual number of participants
- average duration of meetings
- the confidentiality of meetings
- number of remote meetings
- the necessary display and camera equipment
- the need for electrification
- method of booking a room
- barrier-free access
- any other possible use of the premises.
Office acoustics affect the functionality of an open-plan meeting area
An open-plan workspace inevitably generates background noise. Its location must therefore be planned in relation to workstations requiring concentration and other activities that generate noise.
This area should not be situated in the middle of a quiet work zone or right next to individual workstations. Although room dividers may reduce direct line of sight, ongoing conversation can still disturb those working nearby.
Office acoustics are made up of many elements. The sound-absorbing surfaces of the ceiling and walls, carpets, furniture, room dividers, the shape of the space and the distances between different areas all combine to influence how sound behaves.
Traffic flow must also be taken into account. The meeting area should not be situated in a place where participants block the corridor or where constant foot traffic interrupts the discussion.
Open and closed meeting rooms can complement one another
An effective multi-purpose office is not usually based on just one type of meeting room. Different situations call for different options.
An open meeting area encourages spontaneous collaboration and brief discussions. It makes it easier to get together at short notice without having to book a separate room.
An enclosed POD meeting room offers a quieter alternative for situations where there are greater requirements for sound, privacy or concentration. INTO Concept’s POD range includes solutions ranging from telephone booths to meeting rooms for several people, enabling different types of spaces to be combined within the same working environment.
A well-balanced programme might include, for example:
- open project area
- one or more telephone booths
- a soundproofed workspace for one person
- a small POD meeting room for two or four people
- a large, permanent meeting room.
When different spaces are designed for specific purposes, large meeting rooms are not booked for individual video calls, nor are open-plan areas used for discussions that require privacy.
Flexibility helps us prepare for future changes
The needs of work environments change as the organisation evolves. Staff numbers, team structures, hybrid working practices and office utilisation rates may be different in a few years’ time from what they were when the space was first designed.
Movable room dividers and modular POD spaces offer more options for the future than a completely fixed layout. The STORY WALL partition can be incorporated into a new layout, and the movable POD units can be repositioned as the office’s needs change.
Flexibility does not mean that the space should be constantly rearranged. Its value lies in the fact that changes can be made without the need for a major building project.
Avoid these mistakes when designing a meeting room
One of the most common mistakes is to choose a solution based solely on its appearance or the amount of floor space available. A visually appealing meeting area will not work if its intended use, location or acoustic environment is unsuitable.
Another mistake is to assume that a room divider turns an open-plan area into a private room. A room divider and an enclosed acoustic space serve different purposes.
The third mistake is to design all meeting rooms to accommodate the maximum possible number of people. If most meetings are held between two or three people, a single large meeting room will not meet day-to-day space requirements.
The fourth mistake is to overlook the technology. The functionality of a video conferencing room is affected by the position of the screen, the camera angle, the lighting, the electrical setup and the visual calm of the background.
How to choose a suitable meeting room
Choose an open-plan meeting area when you need an easily accessible and flexible space for regular team meetings, brainstorming sessions and project work.
Choose a private POD meeting room when a discussion requires greater acoustic insulation, concentration or privacy.
Often, the best solution is not simply to choose one or the other. Open collaboration areas and private meeting rooms combine to create a versatile working environment where users can choose the space best suited to the task at hand.
A meeting space without fixed walls can therefore refer to two different set-ups: an openly defined collaboration area or a ready-made, enclosed POD space. The right solution can be found by defining the intended use, number of participants, acoustics and any modification requirements before selecting a space or product.
A dedicated room is not necessarily required when the aim is to create a space for short meetings, project work or informal collaboration. A separate meeting area can be created within an open-plan office using furniture and acoustic partitions without altering the building’s wall structures.
This type of solution is particularly well-suited to a multi-space office, where the intended use of workspaces may change depending on teams, projects and staff numbers. An open meeting area can be expanded, reduced in size or moved to another location at a later date.
The solution works well, for example:
- in short team meetings
- in the work of the project groups
- in brainstorming and workshop sessions
- in informal encounters
- during a joint review of materials or plans.
However, an openly partitioned area is not the same as a closed meeting room. It does not offer the same level of privacy for conversations, and should not be used for discussions where the content must not be overheard by those around.
