Symbiosis Cat House Jengo la Makazi by Jimmy Yung

Symbiosis Cat House Jengo la Makazi by Jimmy Yung is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award in Usanifu wa Majengo, Ujenzi na Miundo Competition Category.

FedhaUsanifu wa Majengo· 2026

Symbiosis Cat House Jengo la Makazi

by Jimmy Yung

Client: Happystudio

Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award Winner in Usanifu wa Majengo Category

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The Design

About Symbiosis Cat House Jengo la Makazi

Symbiosis Cat House ni jengo la makazi lililobuniwa kwa ajili ya eneo jembamba la mjini. Nyumba hii ya ghorofa nne inawawezesha watu wenye mizio na paka kuishi pamoja. Mkakati wa ugawaji wa wima hutenganisha maeneo ya wanyama na maeneo ya binadamu. Ua wa kati wa ndani (atrium) huchochea mzunguko wa hewa wa asili unaoondoa vichochezi vya mizio bila kutumia mifumo mizito ya mitambo. Vifaa maalum vya kutoa hewa hutumika katika maeneo ya vyoo vya paka. Zege lisilopakwa rangi, matofali yaliyoachwa wazi na ngazi za chuma zenye matundu hupunguza vumbi na utoaji wa kemikali. Mnara wa paka unainuka kando ya ngazi, ukiifanya familia ibaki imeunganishwa kwa kuonana.

The Recognition

About the Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award

Symbiosis Cat House Jengo la Makazi ni mshindi wa Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award, utambuzi wenye heshima kubwa ya ajabu unaotolewa kwa miundo ya hali ya juu kabisa, ya kupendeza na ya kuvutia. Washindi wa Fedha ni kazi zinazong'aa mno na bunifu kupita kiasi zinazoonyesha utaalamu bora, kipaji na busara ya wabunifu wao. Symbiosis Cat House Jengo la Makazi inatarajiwa kuwa kazi nzuri ya kuigwa ambayo ni ya kitaalamu kwa kiasi kikubwa na yenye ubunifu wa kina. Muundo huu ulioshinda Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award ni uvumbuzi unaojulikana sana na kupendwa, unaonufaisha na kupanua mipaka ya sanaa, sayansi, usanifu na teknolojia. Symbiosis Cat House Jengo la Makazi ni kazi inayotamaniwa mno inayochochea hamu, huleta hisia chanya na huzua mshangao na mastaajabu.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This narrow row house utilizes a vertical zoning strategy to resolve the paradox of density and hygiene. Key features include a stepped setback profile to ensure future adaptability against high rise developments and a dual loop circulation system. The house functions as a metabolic organ, employing a central atrium to drive a stack effect that continuously purges allergens. This ensures that the living environment remains clear without reliance on heavy mechanical systems.
Dimensions & Packaging: The building dimensions are Width 5100 mm by Depth 17050 mm by Height 9700 mm. It occupies a site area of 90 square meters with a total floor area of 250 square meters across four floors. Structural components include uncoated concrete, fair faced brickwork, and perforated metal panels. A central vertical atrium provides passive ventilation while localized exhaust systems manage air quality.
Tags: Residential Architecture, Micro Housing, Hypoallergenic Design, Passive Ventilation, Vertical Zoning, Interspecies Living, CFD Simulation, Brutalism, Pet Friendly Architecture
Production Technology: The construction employs a low maintenance and hypoallergenic material strategy. Fair faced brickwork with calibrated porosity creates a breathing skin for natural air filtration. Uncoated concrete and perforated metal treads minimize the emission of chemical compounds and prevent the accumulation of dander. Aero acoustic zoning utilizes localized negative pressure at litter zones via dedicated mechanical exhaust to ensure high air quality in human zones.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was reconciling strict biological isolation with visual intimacy on a narrow site. The design had to anticipate future urban density while ensuring the interior remained breathable. Engineering a passive stack effect to isolate dander without extensive use of HVAC systems was the technical peak. The design balances private health requirements with public aesthetic value, proving that rigorous functional needs can yield a rhythmic living environment.
Research: Applied Architectural Research. Objectives included the optimization of health for multiple species in high density settings. Methodology involved spatial mapping and airflow simulation using CFD modeling tools. Participants included a family with severe allergies and two felines. Results showed a ninety five percent reduction in the spread of allergens via vertical zoning. Insights confirm that health is a spatial mechanism. This creates a replicable and neuro inclusive model.
Inspiration: The project originates from a critical conflict between respiratory health and the need for interspecies companionship in dense urban areas. The objective was to demonstrate that biological well being and domestic life can be integrated through spatial innovation. By scaling the internal volume to match the vertical requirements of felines, a nested system was created to protect the air quality for human inhabitants while ensuring freedom for animals.
Project Duration: The project started in January 2022 in Douliu City Taiwan and finished in 2024 in the same location.
Operation Flow: The house functions through a shared vertical journey. As family members walk up the stairs, cats climb up their own dedicated tower right beside them. Both paths rise in tandem around a central void to ensure constant visual and acoustic proximity. Key moments include watching companions move across the atrium or hearing them through light filters while the air remains fresh. This design succeeds by protecting the health of every inhabitant while keeping the emotional bond of the household intact.
Team Members: Design Director: Jimmy Yung
Designer: Tina Liao
Image Credits: All Images: Photographer Yi-Hsien Lee