Lobby (room)
A lobby is a room in a building used for entry from the outside.[1] Sometimes referred to as a foyer, reception area or an entrance hall, it is often a large room or complex of rooms (in a theatre, opera house, concert hall, showroom, cinema, etc.) adjacent to the auditorium. It may be a repose area for spectators, especially used before performance and during intermissions, but also as a place of celebrations or festivities after performance.

Since the mid-1980s, there has been a growing trend to think of lobbies as more than just ways to get from the door to the elevator but instead as social spaces and places of commerce.[2][3] Some research has even been done to develop scales to measure lobby atmosphere to improve hotel lobby design.[4] Many office buildings, hotels and skyscrapers go to great lengths to decorate their lobbies to create the right impression and convey an image.[5][6][7]
Etymology
    
From Medieval Latin lobia, laubia or lobium.[1]
Gallery
    
 2 World Trade Center lobby interior, overlooking the elevator core and red carpet from the balcony (October 1988) 2 World Trade Center lobby interior, overlooking the elevator core and red carpet from the balcony (October 1988)
 Opera House of Paris, Palais Garnier's grand salon Opera House of Paris, Palais Garnier's grand salon
 Lobby of a contemporary apartment building in Washington, D.C. Lobby of a contemporary apartment building in Washington, D.C.
%252C_160906%252C_ako.jpg.webp) Landgericht Berlin in Germany Landgericht Berlin in Germany
 Lobby at the Sokos Hotel Torni in Tampere, Finland Lobby at the Sokos Hotel Torni in Tampere, Finland
 
 Elevator lobby at the InterContinental Hotel Singapore Elevator lobby at the InterContinental Hotel Singapore
 Lobby of the Crowne Plaza Vientiane hotel in Laos Lobby of the Crowne Plaza Vientiane hotel in Laos
 Pszczyna Castle in southwestern Poland Pszczyna Castle in southwestern Poland
 Lobby of the InterContinental Mauritius Resort Balaclava Fort Lobby of the InterContinental Mauritius Resort Balaclava Fort
 Reception area of the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. Reception area of the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C.
 Lobby of Synetic Theater in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, United States Lobby of Synetic Theater in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, United States
 
References
    
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 836.
- Lobbies Coming Back Into Their Own - New York Times
- Office lobbies become new battleground in landlords' fight to boost | Long Island Business News | Find Articles at BNET.com
- An atmospheric scale for the evaluation of hotel lobbies
- USATODAY.com - Hotels hope visitors check out livelier, upgraded lobby
- Lobbying for space: renovated and revived office building lobbies seek to make the segue from garages and the street inviting to office workers and pedestrians alike - Style - Brief Article | Los Angeles Business Journal | Find Articles at BNET.com
- A Building Lobby, "Way of Design, Book One" Archived 2007-01-05 at the Wayback Machine

