Making the Most of Multipurpose Space

Many businesses and organizations have “multipurpose” space – larger meeting areas that can be used for any number of activities. Over the years the multi-purpose room has evolved from a casual gathering space for coffee and bagels to open floorplan spaces that host special events, classes, team building workshops, private meetings, and shared workspaces. The list of possible uses of this open space goes on and on. This offers real opportunity to organizations with such versatile space. The key is to design and outfit this space for maximum usage and productivity.

There are a few design elements that will make your multipurpose room meet the needs of today as well as the needs of the future:

Aesthetics

No one wants to spend very much time in a cold, cavernous space. Think about flooring and wall products that will add warmth as well as privacy and acoustics.

Including features such as kitchenette, storage, stage and work/meeting tables and chairs. Equipping the room with the resources to handle various uses of the space will make it more appealing to more types of applications.

Sound Properties

So many of today’s functions center around verbal and visual communication. Even musical elements are becoming more prevalent. Therefore, it’s essential to consider your multipurpose space acoustics to accommodate all types of communication effectively.

There are many factors that go into the sound quality of an open area. Three things in particular affect the overall movement of the sound waves in a room – hard surfaces, noise sources and ceiling height. The number of people that could be in the room at any given time, soft surfaces, and other building materials can also play a role in sound quality.

An ideal sound environment provides a perfect blend of direct and reflected sound. This is accomplished by a careful combination of regular and irregular room angles and surface finishes. Even if you are limited by architectural design, enhancements can be made to your space to improve the acoustics. We install sound absorbing acoustical wall and ceiling panels to help calibrate optimal sound quality within any given space. These panels are available in different shapes, sizes, and colors to fit the style of the space.

Audio & Video Equipment

Today’s technological demands require any multipurpose room to have great audio and video equipment. Otherwise, the ‘multi’ in purpose gets pretty limited!

The key components of audio-visual equipment for multipurpose rooms include a quality sound system (microphones, speakers/amps, mixers), visual devices (projectors, screens, LED displays), and usually lighting. These elements work together to enhance the acoustic and visual aspects of any activity, whether it’s a meeting, a group presentation, or a celebration. The right audio and video equipment in your multipurpose space will make it more professional and engaging, thus attracting much more use.

Lighting

Because a multipurpose room is used for various functions, the lighting must be adjustable to meet the changing needs of the space. Natural light is wonderful, but has both positive and negative effects, depending on what is happening. Natural light sources should have treatments to control light to darken the room when necessary. If activities such as sports will occur in the space, protective coverings for lighting fixtures is a smart idea. Do you want the entire room illuminated or do you want to control light in different sections? Any public use area must have emergency lighting for safety. One of our favorite lighting features is dimmers so lighting can be controlled easily and quickly. 

Flexibility of Space

Being able to change the configuration of multipurpose space quickly creates nice options. Movable partitions or retractable walls are usually the best way to make the greatest use of your multi-purpose room. Movable partition walls relocate freely, and the HVAC and lighting systems are not impacted, allowing them to work without obstructions.

Making the Best of Your Multipurpose Space

Making the best use of your multi-purpose room begins with proper planning. Careful consideration must be given to the design elements and options available to maximize effective use of the space. The right lighting and quality audio and visual equipment can transform a clunky extra space into some very valuable square footage.

Downeast Audio Video Can Transform Your Multipurpose Space

We offer a full range of audio and visual equipment, as well as acoustic panels and lighting products. We will work with you to plan out your space, customized for your budget and needs. Let’s talk about your multi-use space or conference room!