The limitations of auditorium seating present an interesting design challenge. Required to be unobtrusive, space-saving, durable and above all comfortable to sit in for long periods of time, the following five designs fulfill all of these criteria while still managing to make a design statement.

Zaha Hadid’s asymmetrical Array auditorium seats for Italian brand Poltrona Frau Contract feature diagonal flip up seats that form an attractive triangle shape with the back and  armrest when not in use.

The LEC Auditorium Chairs by Jouko Jarvisalo for Finnish firm Mobel feature a plywood seat and backrest (either layered in laminate or upholstered) and a supportive frame of epoxy-coated steel.

Designed and made in the USA, Sedia Systems' award-winning JumpSeat features a cantilevered plywood and steel structure that has revolutionized auditorium seating JumpSeat can be floor mounted, flush to the wall creating a thin profile or freestanding with a flexback option. The moveable base provides flexibility and mobility while the tablet provides a clean, compact writing surface.

Mounted on an aluminum column with a central spring, the organically-shaped 13107 Flame seating by Figueras silently and automatically glides into a folded position.

The Kompass auditorium seating by MatteoGrassi for Eoos is a modular monoblock system that, when not in use, resembles a low, tilted leather wall. A simple touch parts the seat from back – the back rest automatically moves into position vertically – and the seat folds down to reveal a comfortable seat.