DESIGN BRIEF
The client had recently moved to a new home, and due to the circumstances of the new space, approached me with a need to provide a home base for their indoor/outdoor pet cat. The client requested a 4’ x 6’ shelter which reflected the architectural detailing of their home. Together we developed a plan for a structure that would provide both comfort and security in the face of local wildlife and the extremes of Texas weather. I love how scale shifted objects challenge perceptions, and thoroughly enjoyed figuring out this design.
Details
This structure is built and detailed very similarly to a full scale house. It features fully insulated walls/floor/ceiling, a vented steel roof, laminate flooring, a full length window, a weather sealed access door for the owner, and a number of systems, including a programmable automated door, interior lighting, temperature controlled air ventilation, and an interior outlet for an app-controlled pet heating pad. All of these systems and appliances are programmable and controllable from the owner’s phone, making this a fully smart home.
DEVELOPMENT
Building a structure with this level detailing at this scale was a great challenge. Due to its size and weight I designed the structure to be mostly fabricated in shop and then taken apart into pieces to be reassembled and finished on site. Figuring out the logistics of that was certainly complicated, but overall everything went smoothly and it was a true joy to see it completed at its new home.
All photography by Anthony Villanacci