Whispers of Cats Residence by Hsiang Chen Fan

Whispers of Cats Residence by Hsiang Chen Fan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 Bronze A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Competition Category.

BronzeInterior· 2020

Whispers of Cats Residence

by Hsiang Chen Fan

Client: Wide Design

Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Interior Category

9,944

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #93252

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Whispers of Cats Residence

Whispers of Cats is a residential interior design created for a young couple and their cats. The home has an internal area of 57 square meters. Warm grey tones, oak textures, glass and metalwork were selected to complement the white fur of the cats. A timber storage cabinet in the transition area also serves as a jumping board and a hiding place. Hidden cat doors are set into the television wall, and cat paths link a small cat house along the sofa wall. All cat facilities were sized from studies of cat behavior and ergonomics.

The Recognition

About the Bronze A' Design Award

Whispers of Cats Residence is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Whispers of Cats Residence is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Whispers of Cats Residence splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.

Image Analysis

Color Temperature: Slightly WarmSymmetry: VerticalBackground: Top and Bottom

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: As opposed to thinking from a functional point of view, the design team placed emphasis on the needs of daily living and emotional interactions. Therefore, when encompassing human-pet relations as primary design consideration, it defines the living requirements of both the client and the cats. In terms of material and color, the warm grey color tones was used to complement the white color of the cats while it also applied various design measures to maximize floor usage.
Dimensions & Packaging: With an internal area of 57 square meters, in order to satisfy storage and cat-keeping needs of the client, the transition area especially features a timber storage cabinet for storing collection, as well as serving as a jumping board and hide-and-seek area for the cats. Also, the design team utilizes the side area of sofa back wall to connect kitty house, jumping board and cat paths for their free-roaming routine.
Tags: Pet, Multi-Function, Tatami Room, Heterogeneous, Flexibility
Production Technology: Materials such as timber veneer, metalwork, laminate board, glass, and paint, were adopted, with consideration of pet colors, to feature elegant dark grey base complemented by warm oak-texture and void design. In terms of design for public domain, the TV wall adopted dark grey stone-patterned laminate board with hidden cat doors while the sofa wall adopted the finished-concrete laminate board with rustic-pattern for a touch of culture.
Design Challenge: As far as the client is concerned, cats are not merely pets but important family members, which was why they wanted to create a fun and comfortable playing paradise for them. In view of this, the team read widely on cat behaviors and ergonomics in order to understand cat behaviors and the body structure, to design all cat facilities with precision down to the centimeters, so as to protect the well-being of the cats.
Research: With the importance of pets in modern households, given the low birth rate in modern society, the interior space shared by pets and people have been highly valued. The team carefully connects the entrance, living room, dining area, tatami room, and cat area while imbuing them with multi-function. With the living room featuring an elegant grey tone, complemented by simple and warm oak texture, the bedrooms inherit the grey tone for visual continuity.
Inspiration: As this project is the common living space for a young couple and their cats, the client would like to have a free and comfortable living environment to further consolidate their bonds. From pet behaviors, the daily routines of, and the interactions between the client couple and their cats, the design was developed to offer sufficient living space for the cats and the client while amalgamating proportions of material and color into a space of refreshing tones and aesthetics.
Project Duration: This project was completed in 2019, in Hsizhi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Operation Flow: For the client of this project, cats are not merely pets but important family members, which was why they wanted to create a fun and comfortable playing paradise for the pets. In view of this, the design team read widely on cat behaviors and ergonomics in order to understand cat behaviors and body structure, to create all cat facilities with precision down to the centimeters, so as to protect the well-being of the cats.
Team Members: Wide Design
Image Credits: Wide Design