The classic boardroom. Every company needs one. A room to meet and discuss matters that just can’t be discussed over emails or phone calls. A room to make a powerful impact on clients when they sit down in it. The conference room is often the nicest room in an office, and we certainly have a high expectation when walking into one.
When we designed the Magine room, the conference room in our new office, you might expect that we would have tried to revolutionize the conference room and create something new, but we didn’t. Sometimes such a classic concept is best left how it is.
A 13ft by 5ft wood laminate table provides plenty of room for a medium-sized group to sit comfortably while maintaining a very sophisticated appearance. A large tv screen at the front of the room allows for high-quality presentations, and decorative lights give the room the touch of design it needs. It both looks and feels like a conference room.
But of course, looking and feeling like a conference room is not good enough; a boardroom must perform like a conference room. At OI we are all about functionality, so this is where we put our special touch on the Magine room.
Seating
Functionality starts at the center of the room, the table. As mentioned, the table is large and provides plenty of space to spread out your documents. The best part of the table, however, is what is inside it. It has integrated power, and sports 12 outlets and 8 USB ports, making plugging in easy and preventing the spread of cables around the room.
Surrounding the table are 10 of the most comfortable conference chairs you have ever sat in. Very task chairs with fixed arms and no adjustable lumbar support are a simplified version of the popular task chair, that are still more adjustable than your typical conference chair. These Verys provide the perfect amount of adjustability and comfort for a boardroom setting. Too many adjustments make conference chairs needlessly complicated, while too few adjustments make them uncomfortable during longer meetings.
Tech
Like all our collaboration rooms, the Magine room is equipped with Clickshare, the latest wireless collaboration technology device. With a universal USB-powered button and the Clickshare app, it automatically connects laptops to the room setup. It displays within seconds with just one click, eliminating the need for unsightly cables often seen in meeting rooms.
Clickshare allows us to start a video meeting and stream our Microsoft Teams to the big screen from any device, including Windows and Mac. With this, we can see our colleagues in other locations while simultaneously looking through PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets.
To create a more immersive experience and make the meeting more engaging, the Magine room is fitted with a swivelling camera at the front that provides a panoramic view of the boardroom table and everyone around it. This feature creates an inclusive meeting environment making virtual participants feel like they are physically present in the room.
Atmosphere
Of course, like the rest of our office, we tried to incorporate biophilic design into the Magine room. Nice big windows let in lots of natural light, which makes the room more inviting and actually boosts productivity and engagement. We won’t lie, we know it can be hard to stay engaged in a long meeting and anything helps. Natural tones and potted plants also provide a touch of nature to the room and make it all the more enticing. To top it off, the entire front side is composed of floor-to-ceiling glass modular walls. These glass walls make the room feel way more open and are also extremely easy to remove if we were to renovate or redesign.
Many of our most important discussions, whether with clients or fellow employees, take place in the conference room. So while it is definitely important for your conference room to send the right message, it is even more important that it properly fosters these interactions. The Magine room looks like a conference room, we didn’t change that, but we also made it sure it works as a conference room. It is truly the perfect space to share, plan, and imagine. Sorry… ‘magine.
Want to check out the Magine room? Our entire office is a “working showroom”. You can come in, take a look around, and see some of the products we offer being used in a real office environment.
Jonah MacEachern
Sales & Marketing Support
Office Interiors
