Balancing Heritage and Modern Comfort: Five Seating Upgrades for Historic Venues

Overview & Capacity:
London, UK | 5,426 seats | World-renowned historic concert venue


Seating Challenge:
Improving comfort, accessibility, and operational efficiency while preserving the character of a heavily booked 19th-century concert hall.


Technical Solution:
Installed the Espace 628 Matrix system for arena seating, alongside custom swiveling chairs with tip-up arms for accessible areas and Upper Circle seats featuring a high-show wood back and bespoke fabrics.


Benefit Value:
Reduces manual handling compared with traditional banqueting chairs, while tip-up seating provides wider seatways and improved comfort. The removable system also allows the hall to accommodate different event formats.

Overview & Capacity:
Seoul, South Korea | 2,505 seats | Main symphony hall at Korea's leading performing arts complex


Seating Challenge:
Maintaining the auditorium’s acoustic performance while ensuring long-term durability across decades of continuous use.


Technical Solution:
Outfitted the auditorium with custom acoustic seats developed through comprehensive sound testing. The seating was designed to maintain the sound reflection and absorption characteristics required for classical orchestral music.


Benefit Value:
Supports consistent acoustic performance and long-term seating durability, helping the concert hall maintain its role as a major venue for orchestral performances.

Overview & Capacity:
East Hampton, New York, USA | 205 seats | Architect: Peter Pennoyer Architects


Seating Challenge:
Renewing a cultural venue dating back to 1931 with seating that respects its historic architecture while meeting modern comfort and accessibility standards.


Technical Solution:
Installed custom K1 seats upholstered in Angora mohair, featuring wooden armrests, outer backs, integrated donor plates, and ADA-compliant swing-out armrests.


Benefit Value:
Combines a period-appropriate appearance with improved comfort, accessibility, and durability, while supporting ease of maintenance for venue staff.

Overview & Capacity:
Stockton-on-Tees, UK | 1,651 seats | Restored 1930s Art Deco theater


Seating Challenge:
Restoring a vacant 1930s Art Deco theater while allowing the stalls to accommodate both all-seated and part-standing events.


Technical Solution:
Technical Solution: Installed custom Icon chairs in the balcony, featuring 1930s-inspired timber details, and a tool-free Matrix system for removable seating in the stalls. The removable seating can be stored beneath the stage using a hydraulic orchestra pit.


Benefit Value:
Preserves the theater’s period character while enabling efficient seat removal and storage, allowing operators to adapt the auditorium for different live entertainment formats.

Overview & Capacity:
Shanghai, China | 996 seats | Architect: Tongji Architectural Design


Seating Challenge:
Renovating a traditional performing arts theater into a modern facility with fan-shaped seating and clear sightlines across deeply raked tiers.


Technical Solution:
Installed custom Spacia seats featuring a 560 mm seat width, fan-inspired side detailing, and a gentle seat tip-up mechanisms.


Benefit Value:
Supports clear sightlines, comfortable passage, and quiet operation, while blending traditional Chinese design motifs with modern ergonomic comfort.