This is the interior of the Tea Chai Te cafe.

In this image you can see how the furniture arrangement and type influence an individual’s interaction in the cafe. The couches allow for a related and social setting while the tables are more formal and intimate.

Summary:

The article, If the Chair Fits: Sexism in American Office Furniture Design, Jennifer Kaufmann-Buhler describes how sexism is rooted in furniture design. Jennifer analyzes how the intended hierarchical approach to furniture design is actually gendering the furniture and therefore assuming gender roles. Executive level chairs are bigger with a broad back and armrests, which are aimed to fit a male figure. Secretary level chairs are petit with a floating back which insinuate that a woman would be occupying that chair. These preconfigured gender roles are sexist in the sense that they assume a woman would be a secretary while a man is in an executive position. An attempt to neutralize the office space, an open floor plan was set, which only influenced a hierarchical and gendered space through furniture and space use. Desks also reflected the sexist gender roles of the 19th century as women’s desks were designed for a typewriter. Since a secretary used a typewriter, position assumptions were made through the desk design. An executive, or male desk would be at a standard level and height while the female desk was lower with a typewriter extension. The gender roles of the office space were reflected throughout the establishment and limited the roles and abilities women would take on. The furniture preconceived their roles in the office space and continue to exclude certain bodies to this day. 

Interpretation:

The Tea Chai Te cafe has a furniture arrangement that influences the interactions within the establishment. Te Chai Te has both a social furniture arrangement as well as a formal seating arrangement that is less social. For instance, the comfy couch seating creates a social environment that encourages conversation and relaxation. On the other hand, the table top seating for two creates an intimate and formal setting that allows for two individuals to converse apart from the social setting of the couch seating. The way the seating influences the interactions within the establishment is similar to how the furniture influences the interactions and hierarchy of the office space. Office spaces use the design of the furniture to implement a gendered hierarchy by designing furniture specific to role and gender, similar to how establishments use furniture to draw people into their space and create a social environment that encourages a interaction within the space. The use of furniture highlights its effect on people and how they are influenced by furniture type and arrangement. Just as Tea Chai Te uses furniture to influence social settings, the 19th century and somewhat current office space uses furniture design to create gender roles and hierarchical roles in the workplace.