‘Space’ for Events in motion…
Here is the perfect example of how a ‘space’ plan can assist when planning your event!
Many businesses use AI to build floorpans for clients; They pop in your guest numbers and the size of marquee that you've booked or are looking to book and it will autogenerate a layout for you based on those requirements, which is all well and good, but computers don’t account for look, feel, comfort or convenience…
Take this plan for example. Randomly selected from Google Images, this template is inherently flawed.
This generated floor plan is tightly-packed and would be impossible to move around!
With 10 seats around each table to seat 200 guests, we can assume these tables are at least 1.8m in diameter.
It’s already pretty obvious, but when converted into a to-scale ‘space’ plan, we can see that they are packed in way too close to each other. In some cases, there is only 10cm between the backs of some of these chairs!
Floorplans are drawn with chairs ‘tucked’, so this would essentially leave no room at all for drawing chairs out to sit down, to get in and out, or for catering to navigate the space! Some unfortunate souls would also be left to pull their chairs out into the toilet marquee… yum!
Building the floorpan to-scale also shows that the lounge furniture in the original plan is doll-size, with the seating only showing to be as deep as a standard 60cm kitchen bench! To the right scale, they would not sit well in the corner of the marquee, being far too crammed in!
Left: Lounging to scale // Right: Doll-size original lounging!
Scale aside, there are a few other ways this original plan does not quite tick all the boxes…
There is not enough bar space in the OG plan to service 200 guests
With large guest numbers (+120) it is best to operate two bars, to avoid long queues for drinks!
The bar is way too far away from the dance floor
There is no allowance for speakers or a sound desk in the original plan
The entrance marquee is wasted space- especially considering how cramped the rest of the layout is!
So, what’s the solution?
Round tables are generally much trickier to use efficiently than family-style straight tables as they take up so much more space...
Assuming that this client wants to keep round tables so the guests are seated in ‘groups’, we need to use the entire space in order to seat (almost!) everyone…
This revised plan would seat 198 people with 11 at each table. This seating arrangement would be ‘cosy’ though overall there is a lot more room to draw back chairs and navigate the space, so the snug table setting is offset by the additional roominess on the whole.
This plan reduces the amount of lounge furniture in play and splits the existing bar order into two, allowing division of guests wanting to grab a drink; shortening wait times and relieving pressure on bar staff!
By moving the (reduced) lounging to the entrance marquee, we make better use of the additional space and create a separate lounge ‘section’ that guests can retire to away from the hustle and bustle of the dancefloor.
Can it be made any better?
The next best way to increase the efficiency of this plan is to add more.
Extending both bars provides further relief and better services the high guest count
Extending the entrance / lounging marquee to match the full width of the main space gives more people the option to retire to a quieter space if they need it, without feeling like they are taking up the previously limited seating options available
Adding leaners to the bar area offers guests another casual option to prop their drinks that isn’t another low seat
*This plan assumes that there is ability to extend the entrance marquee
*All plans assume flexibility of wall placement / entrance location in the entrance marquee
