500 Chairs is an exhibition of photographs of student prototypes from the Department of Architecture's furniture studio and elective. The exhibition contains work from 2000 to 2017 and demonstrates the evolution of the studio since its origin in the 90s. Professor George Hascup, the studio's instructor, maintains this collection of images in a digital archive.

Professor Gary Brown, former chair of architecture at the University of California–Berkeley (1989-92), discovered the unique vernacular Westport Adirondack lawn chair. At the beginning of each year's studio, the Westport chair measured drawings were given to students with the objective of intersecting the Westport principals with that of Eames, DeStijl, and/or Russian Constructivism. Oblique geometry, structure, and precise connective-expressive joinery were critical requirements.

The connection of architecture to principals of furniture was the objective of the studio, and the final project was a full-scale prototype using hard and/or softwood of locally sources species.

The exhibition team includes:

Faculty: Professor George Hascup with collaboration from Associate Professor Roberto Bertoia, Department of Art
Workshop director: Brian Beeners
Curator: Joyce Han (B.Arch. '18)
Exhibition coordinator: Dillon Pranger (M.Arch. '15)
Exhibition team: Christopher Battaglia (M.Arch. '17) and Takuma Johnson (B.Arch. '17)