Northwestern University Law School
Atrium Lounge Study / Social Area
During the daytime students pause here to read, snack and meet with friends. individual
spaces, corner tables and small conversational groupings support a large number of
students dropping by between classes and the adjacent library.
The open atrium space is used for social events in the evening. Then the seating has to
be moved back for people to circulate around refreshment tables.
Daytime Plan -- The customer asked for a way to secure multiple chairs
together, keeping this large active space organized in the floor plan. Security was
provided by mounting the 28" width seating units, with end or middle arms, plus the
corner tables, together on common plinth bases in 3 unit sections.
Evening Plan -- Maintenance personnel needed to be able to move sections from
the L-shape plans back to along the walls without special handling or carts. Mobility was
accomplished by mounting weight load casters recessed under the plinth base of each
section.
As a result, the Atrium lounge stays secure in its plan layout during the day--units
held together in 2-3 chair+ table sections, whose casters lock in place when sat upon. For
social events, the casters provide mobility to move the sections back to accommodate
refreshment tables and to reconfigure for social groupings.
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