### Problem >The larger meetings are, the less people get out of them. But institutions often put their money and attention into large meeting rooms and lecture halls. ### Solution >Make at least 70 percent of all meeting rooms really small—for 12 people or less. Locate them in the most public parts of the building, evenly scattered among the workplaces. ### Related Patterns ... within organizations and workplaces - [[University as a Marketplace (43)]], [[Local Town Hall (44)]], [[Master and Apprentices (83)]], [[Flexible Office Space (146)]], [[Small Work Groups (148)]], there will, inevitably, be meeting rooms, group rooms, classrooms, of one kind or another. Investigation of meeting rooms shows that the best distribution - both by size and by position - is rather unexpected. Shape meeting rooms like any other rooms, perhaps with special emphasis on the fact that there must be no glare - [[Light on Two Sides of Every Room (159)]] - and on the fact that the rooms should be roughly round or square, and not too long or narrow - [[Sitting Circle (185)]]. People will feel best if many of the chairs are different, to suit different temperaments and moods and shapes and sizes - [[Different Chairs (251)]]. A light over the table or over the center of the group will help tie people together - [[Pools of Light (252)]]. For the shape of the room in detail, start with [[The Shape of Indoor Space (191)]] ... --- > [!cite]- Alexander, Christopher. _A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction_. Oxford University Press, 1977, p. 712. > #APL/confidence/medium > > #APL/Building-Patterns/Public-Rooms