image © Dana Edelson
Each year, Architects for Animals hosts a benefit for New York’s stray animals, asking architects from the area to design innovative pet shelters from recycled materials. As part of the Giving Shelter benefit, the architects flex their design muscles by making quirky and fun structures that would function as both shelters and public art pieces in New York City streets. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, and the designer shelters are given to a list of cat care givers to use during the winter season.
One can imagine any of the shelters as décor for a New York garden or private yard. A giant hollow ball of recycled twine with knitting needles looks more like a Claes Oldenberg sculpture than a cat house. Recycled industrial felt was stacked to create a warm and insulated cocoon-like home by Anemoi. FX Foule created a gorgeous aerodynamic wood grid vessel, with slots for three stray kitties to keep warm. The Mondrian-inspired recycled home would be perfect in the yard of an art gallery while keeping kittens toasty. Recycled shipping tubes were also bound together to form a cylindrical cozy for the cats.
This year’s winner was by Designer Kathryn Walton of The American Street Cat, Inc. Her recycled garbage can house is planted with a green roof on top, and there is plenty of room for one discerning and fluffy Persian cat inside. Architects for Animals inspires both cat lovers and design nerds, and even gives a tutorial on their website on how to make your own shelter for your neighborhood’s stray felines.
