Twelve Los Angeles-based architecture firms have designed dwellings that are considerably smaller than the scale they’re used to working in–all for a good cause. A non-profit organization called FixNation, which helps to reduce the homeless cat population, recently held an event called Architects for Animals: Giving Shelter where designers lent their talents and time to build unique habitats for our furry friends.
The dwellings vary in their construction. Some are very condo-like, with spaces for the cats to sleep and windows to stalk their prey. Other designs have elements of play built-in and feature string, scratchpads, and faux grass for the felines to interact with. One shelter called The Lunar Cat Lander features architectural design that’s out of this world–it actually resembles a spaceship that has landed on a cratered moon.
During the benefit, the sold-out crowd was able to vote on their favorite design. Although there was some stiff competition, the most popular shelter was Cat Bowl by Abramson Teiger Architects. Their elegant, multi-use dwelling was inspired by the Chinese yin-yang symbol and has layers of wood that are spaced apart to allow a cat easy viewing access to the outside world. Scroll down to see some of the other clever creations.
Above: The Cat Bowl shelter by Abramson Teiger Architects
The catSCAPE shelter by HOK
The Silhouette shelter by CallisonRTKL
The String Theory shelter by RNL
The Lunar Cat Lander by Knowhow Shop
The Californian Cat Cube by Standard Architecture|Design
The “Cat–Tte” shelter by Formation Association, Arktura and BuroHappold
The Spiral Kitty shelter by DSH
FixNation: Website
via [Contemporist]
Photography by Meghan Bob Photography.