The article this week, “If the Chair Fits,” talks about the issue of sexism in office furniture design in the United States. The article discusses how office furniture, mostly chairs, have traditionally been designed with a bias toward male users, ignoring women’s specific needs and comfort. Kaufmann-Buhler writes that office chairs have traditionally been designed with the assumption that the average user is male, resulting in features that may not work well for the diverse range of body shapes and types of female employees. The author investigates the historical context and social factors that have contributed to this bias, such as a historically male-dominated workforce and the perpetuation of gender stereotypes. The article also investigates the consequences of this sexist design approach. Kaufmann-Buhler emphasizes that ill-fitting chairs can cause female employees discomfort, musculoskeletal issues, and decreased productivity. Furthermore, the author emphasizes the psychological impact of constantly being reminded of gender inequity due to physical discomfort caused by the furniture.

To address this issue, the author suggests that office furniture be designed in a more inclusive and gender-neutral manner. Kaufmann-Buhler advocates for ergonomic designs that prioritize comfort and well-being for all users while considering the diverse needs of all employees, regardless of gender. Overall, the article sheds light on the inherent gender bias in office furniture design and advocates for more inclusive practices to ensure a fair and comfortable working environment for all employees. The article also discusses a study that looked at the dimensions of office furniture, specifically chairs, and desks, from a wide range of companies. Across manufacturers, common patterns and typologies of furniture types were identified, which represented the basic design of office furniture during the period studied. The author contends that office chair design during this time period reflected an idealized and exaggerated gendered body, reinforcing the gender hierarchy that existed in organizations at the time. Even newer classes of mid-range and ergonomic chairs, designed to accommodate a wider range of body types, retained these gendered assumptions.

Office furniture has a long lifespan and is often expensive, causing organizations to keep it for many years. It can also be resold and repurposed in the used market. Manufacturers’ standard furniture designs do not change frequently. As a result, the initial production date does not accurately reflect the furniture’s actual life in terms of continued manufacturing, installation, and use in real offices. It is important to consider the presence of different generations of furniture and technologies in the same space because newer furniture and technologies do not immediately replace the old. The author emphasizes that the historical context in which a particular type of office furniture is designed, manufactured, and used persists in offices, potentially influencing cultural, social, political, and technological changes.
I chose to study the Knight Library this week, specifically the outdoor patio/seating area in front of the north facade. The patio has plenty of seating in the form of a few different benches. There are a few smaller wooden benches scattered beneath trees, but the most noticeable feature is the long concrete built-in that runs along the front of the building. Despite the fact that this bench (pictured) was not occupied at the time I visited, despite the pleasant weather, it appears to be very comfortable, and on the subject of furniture comfort as well as the unhoused population, I would consider these benches to be excellent candidates for resting. The armrests on the benches are far enough apart to allow for sleeping. The benches are obviously concrete, which may make them slightly uncomfortable, but I suspect this is more a function of their need for durability due to their exposure to the elements. Ellis Lawrence designed the Knight Library in 1937; I will infer from this that Lawrence did not consider the implications of the unhoused population using his benches and thus did not design them as what we would now consider “hostile architecture.”

The front facade of an ornamental brick library. A pink flowering tree on a patio along with a variety of benches.