We sit. We sit in classrooms or lecture halls, as professors educate. We sit in libraries, common rooms, or media centers studying for upcoming exams or reading, what seems to be, an endless number of pages. We sit in dining halls fueling ourselves for the rest of the day. And, when we relax, we are likely seated, hanging out around the T.V. or in the Yard with friends.
Since the majority of Harvard students’ time is spent sitting, students should know which chairs on campus are the best. A good chair fulfills three categories: comfort, environment, and ergonomics. If a chair can satisfy one of those requirements, it deserves to be sat in.
Many of the chairs around campus—both well-known and hidden—check off one of those boxes. If you need a new spot to relax or study, follow this list of Harvard’s top ten chairs.
10. Funky Cabot Chair
The bottom of our list is an alien-looking chair found in Cabot Library. Its appearance is the main reason it made the ranking. The chair lives in a lonely corner of Cabot and is deficient for doing work, although the ear cushions make for a great head rest. If you have some free time, and want to check out Harvard’s funkiest chair, stop by the Science Center.
9. Harvard Yard Chairs
The chairs in Harvard Yard and the surrounding areas are infamous for their prices. First appearing in the Yard in 2009, they came from the Fermob Luxembourg Collection and are rumored to cost more than $350 per seat. This cost is supposedly justified by their environmentally-friendly construction. However, it is difficult to do work in them and their locations are random. But the color scheme of these chairs adds an artistic aesthetic to the Yard, and they are all smooth, sturdy, and have a simple style.
8. Lamont Fourth Floor
On the fourth floor of Lamont Library lies a hidden seating gem: a modern gray chair with a foot rest. “It’s a nice view and it’s a peaceful place to read,” a Harvard graduate student said. The fourth floor of Lamont looks and feels different from the rest of the building: it smells fresh, the design is more modern, and the windows provide a view of Harvard Square. If you ever want some alone time to flip through the latest issue of the Independent, this is the spot.
7. Straus Common Room Couch
It’s not a chair, but it deserves recognition. Though these couches match the formal design of the Straus Common Room, you can sink right into them and relax on the leather surface for hours. Large masses often hang around these couches, playing cards and discussing outlandish theories with friends late into the night.
6. The Dorm Chair
This may be a contentious choice, but it is undoubtedly a classic: the first-year dorm room desk chair. The cushion color is a bland attempt at crimson, reminiscent of a worn-down elementary school carpet. Nonetheless, this chair serves its purpose. Upon sitting, students are greeted with a firm cushion that will keep them stable for many hours of studying. The back rest is mediocre, but when one leans back, the best attribute of the chair becomes evident: One can put backwards pressure until they reach eight degrees of elevation, where a heightened portion of the legs block someone from falling and hitting their head. It is satisfying to recline without having to worry about potentially injuring yourself. For those reasons, I think the desk chair rightfully sits at #6.
5. Red Lawn Chairs
The red wooden lawn chairs outside of the Science Center are in a prime location. While the rustling and bustling of the area takes place, students can grab a bite to eat and slip into these seats. Each chair has a divot in between the second and third strip, which makes for a perfect spot to place yourself. “The angle of the back is very preferable and the distance from the ground is perfect,” says Jax Adler ’25. “I’d sit in this chair for a while and not even realize.” But procrastinators, be warned: the relaxed design of these chairs and their stimulating surroundings do not encourage the most productive studying.
4. Menschel Hall
In terms of lecture halls, Menschel Hall at the Harvard Art Museums is the best for seating. There is plenty of space to jot down notes from these wide orange seats, and the leg room makes you feel like you’re sitting in first-class. “When you are in the class you never feel like people are encroaching on your space. It almost feels like you are at a movie theater with the large cushions,” said Jacob Gilligan ’25. “You can also get a solid view from any angle of the room and the acoustics are great.”
3. Lamont Room 240 Swivel Chairs
Yes, it’s an extremely random spot. But these neon green swivel chairs make it worth checking out. They can roll around the room or provide a nice seat to conquer your p-sets, with help from the attached rotating desk. Though this classroom is not the most visually enticing, the swivel seats offer an active and uplifting learning environment. If you ever need a spot to study and some great chairs to plop down on, the often-vacant Room 240 in Lamont Library is waiting for you.
2. Harvard Aeron Chairs
The ergonomics of this chair are out-of-this-world. Found all over Lamont Library, the Reference Services room in Widener, and in a similar style at the Science Center, the black Aeron chair is perfect for studying. The wired material enforces great posture while also allowing you to lean back and unwind. Its height is adjustable and its swivel allows for greater movement. With such support and flexibility, you can always find a comfortable sitting position in this chair—it truly has the whole package. If you ever need to grind out homework for countless hours, this is the chair to do it in.
1. Harvard Commons Lounge Chair
Coming in at first place is the shuttle-shaped orange lounge chair found on the second floor of Harvard Commons in the Smith Center. Though it may not be enjoyed as often as the other chairs, it is extraordinarily comfortable. In addition to the padded cushions and armrests, “the incline of the back is perfect,” said one student in the class of ’25. This is the best spot on campus to relax; every student and faculty member on campus should experience this chair.
Given the amount of time students spend sitting, finding a chair that suits our seating needs is essential. Many people know Harvard for its academics, diverse student body, and great postgraduate opportunities, but in many ways, it’s the chairs that undergrid the College’s outstanding reputation. All of the ten chairs above should be chair-ished for years to come.
Matthew Doctoroff ’25 (matthewdoctoroff@college.harvard.edu) loves a chair with great ergonomics.