Some of the most important objects in society are rarely considered important.

They don’t appear in museums.

They aren’t celebrated as great works of design.

Most people barely notice them.

Yet they quietly support everyday life on an extraordinary scale.

The plastic chair is one of those objects.

Found at funerals, churches, weddings, community meetings, street businesses, family gatherings, and countless public events, it has become one of the most recognizable pieces of social infrastructure in the modern world.

This week, we’re not studying furniture.

We’re studying what happens when people gather.

And the humble object that makes those gatherings possible.