It just occurred to me what a cool space the oval office is.
different seats for different moods
it really lends itself to all kinds of communication:
the chat with a casual veneer
(don’t be fooled—it’s always loaded)
the multi-party negotiation
the policy charrette
pronouncements from the desk
the check-in with a confidant
kids playing on the sofa
the stern confrontation
quiet reading alone.
It works for everything you wouldn’t use a meeting room for.
each piece of furniture is key
and there is bilateral symmetry:
the office equivalent of an oval table