Iron Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design · 2020
Polkota Feline Furniture Module
- A' Design Award 2020 Iron Winner in Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Nadezhda Kiseleva
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 53,965
- Verification code 632FC1B0E7 · Verify this award
About Polkota Feline Furniture Module
If you have a cat, you've probably had at least two out of these three problems while choosing a home for her: lack of aesthetics, sustainability, and comfort. But this pendant module solves these problems by combining three factors: 1) Minimalism design: simplicity of form and variability of color design; 2) Eco-friendly: wood waste (sawdust, shavings) is safe for the cat's and her owner’s health; 3) Universality: the modules are combined with each other, allowing you to create a separate cat apartment inside your home.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The concept of the module, which consists of individual parts, allows the user to combine them according to his own wishes and create unique compositions for his needs with minimal effort. All materials are environmentally friendly and easy to clean. The module has a universal design that is suitable for many interior styles, and the ability to paint the front panel in any color that makes the integration process easier. A unique hanging fixture is also included.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 500 mm x 250 mm x 500 mm
- Tags
- cats, module, different combinations, enviromenrally friendly, universal design, easy to clean, Ceiba, OSB, MDF
- Production Technology
- The base of the main part is made of a 20 mm thick laminated osb board (MDF is also possible). In the back part (the one that will be adjacent to the wall) there is a 150 mm x 38 mm x 7 mm recess for the fastener part. The 8 mm thick flexible Ceiba plywood part is fastened along the perimeter of the base using confirmats with pre-cut notches under the 5 mm deep rails. Another 8 mm thick layer of Ceiba is glued on top to cover the flat bars of the confirmations. The Ceiba part is painted with a graphite matt paint. The front panel can be made of plywood or mdf 8-10 mm thick. It can be painted with glossy white paint in the basic version or any ral color as desired by the customer.
- Design Challenge
- The most difficult part was technical. To find modern environmentally friendly materials and think about how to fix the parts. During the development process, it was decided to create an original fixture for hanging the module on the wall.
- Project Duration
- The project started in April 2019 and finished in June 2019 in Moscow
- Operation Flow
- The module designed to be hanged on the wall to save place on the floor and give the opportunity for your cats to climb higher. It is easy to combine your own composition by using the 4 module’s details. If after some time you want to change the composition – just move the fixture parts on the wall to the new places.
- Research
- Type of research: applied research. The aim of the study was to identify the owners' requirements for cat houses and the individual needs of their pets. The research was conducted in the form of surveys and interviews with owners of cats that have 2 and more pets. In addition to surveys and interviews, images of existing analogs on the market were also used. As a result of the research, several gaps were identified such as aesthetic appearance, no trash when used, ease of cleaning, etc. The research made it possible to create a product that meets the main stated needs of the consumer.
- Inspiration
- Many cat owners are faced with the need to provide a comfortable environment for their pets. This is especially true for those who keep two or more cats. The cat hierarchy, the love of high surfaces and secluded areas are all integral parts of a cat’s life. And among the samples on the market, there is quite a low percentage of those that allow the buyer to create his own, suitable for him composition. The module was inspired by the shape of a cat curled up in a ball of wool.
Colors of Polkota Feline Furniture Module
Design Interview about Polkota Feline Furniture Module
The design was inspired by three of my own cats as well as many of my friends' cats. All of them need a well-organized space to play, sleep, relax, and interact with each other.
My priority was the aesthetic appeal of the module and its visual versatility, which would allow it to fit seamlessly into almost any interior. Ease of assembly and maintenance was also an important factor.
First of all, to make a prototype and try it out on my cats. Then, I will look for a long-term collaboration with producers of pet products so that I can start production and sales and make the module available to as many people as possible.
In total, there were 4 months of work, at a slow pace. Three months of it involved the development of the concept itself and one month of preparation for direct participation in the competition.
There were several concepts during the development process, as usually happens. Specifically, this one was chosen because of its round shape. Firstly, a circle is an ideal, complete shape, and secondly, few people use this shape for such purposes - as a hanging house for a cat.
Initially, I did not have the goal of creating a concept that would be put into production, even though all the details, materials, and designs were thought through. However, after the work was done I received a lot of positive feedback from cat owners, which led me to think that it was worth trying to make it happen.
Initially, I did not have the goal of creating a concept that would be put into production, even though all the details, materials, and designs were thought through. However, after the work was done I received a lot of positive feedback from cat owners, which led me to think that it was worth trying to make it happen.
At the moment, this design is not used by other companies. Ideally, I would like to rent out the production rights or even sell them. In case that does not happen, I will produce it by myself.
I have always liked to develop individual interior details such as furniture or lamps, but my main forté is interior design. So the development of the cat module was a way of implementing it in a related area.
Before I started, I looked at photos of existing products in the field of pet products to get a clear idea of what already exists, for inspiration, and to avoid accidental repetition. I particularly liked the curved shelf, which was attached to the wall and had a changeable scratching mat.
Cat owners. Especially owners of multiple cats
Shape and variability of use. The customer can create a composition for his or her own needs and change it later with minimum effort
“Polkota” in Russian is a play on words: polka (shelf)+ kot (cat) also means “half of a cat”,
which hints at the half-circle form of the module of cats complex.
which hints at the half-circle form of the module of cats complex.
Sketching, firstly, and then software for drawings and 3D-visualization.
Variability of possible compositions and ease of usage.
I was collaborating with my friend Ivan Logutov. He is an engineer and helped a lot by developing a hanging detail.
First of all, these are modern and eco-friendly materials, without whose existence this design would not have been possible.
I have conducted online surveys and interviews with several cat owners I know, including face-to-face interviews, observing the cats, so to speak, in their natural habitat.
There were technical challenges, such as creating the most user-friendly attachment to the wall and attaching the curved part to the base.
I had a long-lasting desire to participate in an international competition and had a project that could theoretically win. So I just decided to give it a try.
I have definitely expanded my knowledge of the pet products market and I already have new developments for another design in the same area.