Co-Habit Object for Cat共享猫屋

Fun for All is a design that grows from small to large, exploring how humans and small animals might share the same space. Given the chance to design a home for small animals, Atelier Alter Architects asked whether it could also be designed for people, so that animals and humans are physically connected and can spend more time together. It was first shown in the “Home for Stray Animals” section of the 9th Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture in December 2022.

Human spaces follow human dimensions: 450 mm for a chair, 900 mm for a sill or railing, 1350 mm for a counter, 1800 mm for a person. Small animals, by contrast, tend to live in subtractive spaces such as caves. The design starts from a 450 mm-high mass whose outer surface follows the curves of the human body, then carves it with a series of ellipsoids to form cave-like cells suited to small animals. The module extends horizontally at 120 degrees and mirrors vertically; outside, the assemblies become seats and furniture for people, while inside, the carefully aligned voids join into a network of rounded, interconnected caves for animals.

Different numbers of modules produce countless forms – sometimes a cluster of urban furniture, sometimes a wall to pass through. The design exists in two versions: solid wood carved by CNC, and a lighter, recyclable EPP foam. Each module measures 1019 × 744 × 450 mm, and the design is patented. In 2024 it was also shown at INTERNI’s “Design Hyperlinks” exhibition at CIFF in Guangzhou.