Quick answer: a top table needs more space per person than a meeting table, a front modesty panel to hide legs and cables, a microphone at every seat and a height designed with the stage in mind. If the room changes use, it should be modular.
Space per speaker
Speakers need room for documents, a laptop, water and a microphone. We recommend at least 800 mm of length per person and a depth of 700 mm. A five-seat top table is about 4,000 mm long.
The modesty panel
From the audience, the table is seen from the front and from below. A panel down to the floor, or nearly, hides legs, cables and equipment, and is the natural place for the institution’s logo: engraved, inlaid or backlit.
Stage, height and sightlines
Stage height and table height go together: the audience must see the speakers’ faces above the table and the microphones. Step-free access to the stage should also be planned.
Built-in technology
- A microphone at every seat, ideally retractable or low-profile so faces are not hidden.
- Laptop connections and power at every seat.
- Cable routes to the stage and an access hatch for the sound technician.
- Voting or identification systems if the institution uses them.
Fixed or modular
In a hall used only for events, a fixed table has more presence. In hotels and conference centres, a modular top table can be set up in different lengths and stored on trolleys between events.
More information on meeting and conference tables.
Frequently asked questions
How many speakers fit at a top table?
Allow about 800 mm per speaker: five speakers need around 4 metres.
Can you integrate the hall’s conference system?
Yes. We prepare the table for the system chosen by the institution or its AV integrator.
Can the logo go on the table?
Yes, on the front panel: engraved, inlaid in another material or backlit.
By the technical office of Eban Premium, bespoke furniture manufacturer in Silla (Valencia, Spain).