Interactive & Visual - Honours

The Cat Estate: Design for the Feline User

Imagine a future where cats in Australia are given independence and autonomy over their environment. Where cats are safer without having to stay inside in impoverished environments AND reduce harm to Australia’s native flora and fauna. The Cat Estate proposes this idea in the form of a custom built cat enclosure. It adopts an Animal-Computer Interaction design approach where the domestic cat becomes the designer. The design is custom built for cats, where their needs and wants are at the heart of the creative process.

Gabrielle Burey

WELCOME TO THE CAT ESTATE, WHERE HOMES ARE MADE FOR CATS BY CATS.

Australia is home to unique flora and fauna however the introduction of felines has impacted our biodiversity. ‘The Cat Estate’ introduces a compromise between providing environmental enrichment for domestic cats and allowing future wildlife to flourish in Australia.

‘The Cat Estate’ uses a speculative design approach to explore a possible future where domestic cats are afforded their own homes. A ‘catified’ estate where felines could live within the community independently. The project involves a tangible enclosure co-designed by Gabrielle’s pet cats: Elsa, Lola and Skye. It further critiques the hierarchical status of domestic felines within society, where impoverished environments domestic cats usually live in result in problem behaviours and low welfare.

THE CAT ESTATE ADOPTS A ANIMAL-COMPUTER INTERACTION, SPECULATIVE AND USER-CENTRED DESIGN APPROACHES THROUGHOUT THE CREATIVE PROCESS.

Gabrielle has constructed a 2m x 1.4m x 0.4m enclosure where platforms and interactive devices within are based on her cat’s preferences. The display is an example of a window-mounted enclosure, allowing Elsa, Lola and Skye 24/7 access to the outside safely. The enclosure is designed to also stand-alone in a backyard or even an apartment balcony.

THE CAT ESTATE IS NOT JUST SOME CAT ENCLOSURE, IT IS A HOME MADE FOR CATS BY CATS.

This enclosure is co-designed by three cats: Elsa, Skye and Lola. Because Skye and Lola enjoy climbing, the use of horizontal and vertical scratching poles and various platforms facilitate these natural instincts. Meanwhile, Elsa prefers to have a comfortable spot to survey her surroundings. Therefore the use of big platforms, positioned at various heights to afford different views allows Elsa to watch her favourite TV show: the great outdoors.

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Gabrielle Burey

Gabrielle is an Interactive and Visual Designer passionate about encouraging sustainable practices. She believes that similar to life, design is all about variety and fun in the creative process. It is through her exciting collaboration with her cats that she envisions a career in designing for nonhuman user and UX/UI design.