Rapid Prototyping • 3D Modeling (NURBS/SubD) • 3D Rendering • AI Image Generation
This sustainable design project set out to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills by increasing the longevity and usefulness of an array of goods. According to the US EPA, furniture made up 12.1 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2018, which is an increase of almost 10 million tons per year since 1960 (USEPA, 2023). Purrch is a piece of pet furniture that defers wear and tear typically subjected on other pieces of household furniture onto itself. Purrch can take this abuse because it is repairable and consists of design features that offer stain resistance, scratch and chew proofing, and is constructed of durable non-toxic adhesives and finishes.
Insight
Consulting employees at Brews and Mews Cat Cafe and Lenoir Veterinary Hospital shed light on the needs to eliminate safety risks such as strangulation and tipping, as well as on the ease of cleaning to combat fungal growth such as ringworm. Addressing these needs would be further refined through materials, form, and construction methods.
A. Temporary adhesion methods allow easy disassembly for replacement, repair, and cleaning.
B. Solid wood and replaceable wrappings greatly extend cat goods’ lifespans.
C. While some materials may be highly durable a balance must be found with the ease of cleaning.
D. Toddlers and small children are more susceptible to the diseases and infections cats carry like ringworm. Ringworm dies at heats in excess of 110°F, while residential clothes dryers reach between 125-135°F.
E. Cardboard tubing is impossible to clean and disinfect leading to a drastically shorter lifespan.
F. The lifespan of textiles is drastically shortened by scratching and chewing. To extend their lifespan, these surfaces need to be repairable or replaced with new material.
G. Felt fiber textiles deteriorate more rapidly than woven textiles, and these fibers can easily be ingested by cats and children.
H. Framing made of wood rather than highly absorbent materials, such as chipboard, would withstand spray and liquid cleaners.
Exploration - Initial Concepts
After reviewing cat behaviors and habits, the nesting, burrowing, and perching behaviors became the design criteria. Both conventional tables and stools came out of the initial development as well as unconventional vertical and rounded forms.
A. Volume and presence established by stools in living and bedrooms was a point of interest that began to be considered. How these characteristics of the stools catered to needs, behaviors, and sizes of cats blended well with the direction the project had taken.
B. Abstracted facial forms mirrored the playfulness usually felt by pet owners with regards to their “furry friends”.
Exploration - Refined Concepts
Column 1: Cylindrical forms would prove top heavy and likely to tip as a result of jumping and landing.
Column 2: Simple forms and panel construction make the overall design easy to disassemble and clean. Hanging toys could prove to be choking hazards.
Column 3: While supported cordage form visually interesting silhouettes, they also pose entanglement and strangulation hazards for most house pets.
Business Model
Purrch’s sustainability comes from the repairable and replaceable considerations in its design. This business model offers a means to lengthen the lifespan of Purrch for customers, and another stream of revenue for producers through repairs and refurbishments.
Solution
Heat-activated glues, edge banding, and flat sandable surfaces make Purrch easy to refurbish which lengthens Purrch’s lifespan and offers a further revenue stream to production facilities. Upon request, refurbished panels are sent to the customer. After receiving these panels, the same shipping box is used to return the damaged panels to the production facility for repair and future exchange.
Detail 1: Panels come pre-assembled with spring steel clips allowing for quick, easy installation on a wooden frame.
Detail 2: Side panels easily clip by snapping around the cutouts within the inner frame, preventing racking. Tabs on the clips allow for easy removal and replacement of the panels over time.
Detail 3: Purrch can be fully disassembled down to the frame for cleaning of every edge of each panel to thoroughly clean the messes cats leave behind.
Credits: Emma Wenzel, Ansley Jarvis, Laila Klaire, Brews and Mews Cat Cafe, Lenoir NC, Lenoir Animal Hospital