Free tool

Venue Capacity Calculator by Room Layout

Estimate how many people a room holds for theatre, classroom, banquet, U-shape or cocktail layouts, using an indicative floor area per person.

Room dimensions

Recommended maximum capacity

369 people
  • Gross room area
    300 m²
  • Usable area (80% of gross)
    240 m²
  • Space per person
    0.65 m²
  • Selected layout
    Rows of chairs without tables
  • Recommended emergency exits
    3 exits
  • Theatre (chairs only)
    369 people
  • Classroom (chairs + tables)
    160 people
  • Banquet (round tables)
    133 people
  • U-shape (meetings)
    96 people
  • Cocktail (standing)
    480 people

How it works

Enter the room's width and length in metres and choose the layout: theatre, classroom, banquet, U-shape or standing cocktail. The calculation takes 20% off the floor area for aisles, stage and technical space and divides the rest by an indicative area per person, from 0.5 m² standing to 2.5 m² for a U-shape. The number of emergency exits is a rough guide based on capacity bands. These figures do not come from a regulation: the room's permitted capacity and the required exits are set by the venue and by fire safety rules, to be checked with a qualified professional.

Frequently asked questions

How many square metres per person does an event need?

Space per person depends on the layout: theatre 0.5-0.7 m², seated with tables 1.5-2 m², banquet 1.2-1.8 m², standing cocktail 0.8-1 m². Safety rules also set a maximum occupancy, which depends on the type of venue: always check the limit stated for your venue and, if in doubt, ask a fire safety professional.

How do I calculate room capacity for a wedding?

For a wedding with a seated dinner, allow 1.5-2 m² per person, including space for the dance floor (about 1 m² for every 3-4 guests). A 200 m² room can comfortably seat 80-100 people for dinner.

What is the difference between maximum and comfortable capacity?

Maximum capacity is the legal safety limit. Comfortable capacity is the number of people that still allows easy movement and a pleasant experience, and it sits well below the permitted maximum.

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