Gold Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design · 2026
Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture
- A' Design Award 2026 Gold Winner in Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Dongliang Lu
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 37,692
- Verification code 5C7F78738E · Verify this award
About Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture
This modular system redefines shared domestic space for humans and pets through a flexible and adaptable design approach. The project integrates pet activities into contemporary interiors, transforming furniture into an interconnected spatial system. Modular units can be arranged on floors or walls, while circular openings support natural pet movement and visual connection with users. Tool free assembly and flat pack design enhance flexibility, sustainability, and user participation.
Dongliang Lu's Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture emerges from a thoughtful intersection of contemporary product design philosophy and the evolving discourse surrounding human-animal cohabitation in domestic environments, representing a considered response to the increasing cultural recognition of companion animals as integral family members deserving thoughtfully designed objects. The work participates in a broader movement within furniture design that seeks to integrate pet-specific furnishings into refined interior schemes without aesthetic compromise, following traditions established by mid-century modern designers who championed the synthesis of function and form. The modular system demonstrates sophisticated understanding of both feline behavioral needs and human spatial sensibilities, with each volumetric element offering shelter, prospect, and vertical territory while maintaining a restrained architectural vocabulary of clean planes and precise joinery. The selection of birch plywood speaks to material honesty and sustainable design practices, its warm honey tones creating domestic warmth while laminated edge-banding reveals construction methodology with transparent integrity. The incorporation of a vibrant chartreuse interior surface within one module suggests playful awareness of color psychology and the importance of visual stimulation within animal environments, while maintaining exterior restraint appropriate to sophisticated interior contexts. The circular portal pierced through the taller module introduces organic geometry that softens the orthogonal vocabulary while providing feline-scaled passage between zones. The photographic documentation captures a moment of authentic use, the white cat's flowing movement through the structure demonstrating scale, proportion, and the intuitive relationship between animal inhabitant and designed object. One might observe how the ascending stepped arrangement creates vertical territory prized by feline companions while simultaneously functioning as sculptural presence within the broader room composition. The careful balance between utilitarian purpose and aesthetic refinement invites contemplation of how design might continue evolving to honor the bonds between humans and their animal companions through objects of genuine beauty and considered functionality.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This project introduces a modular human-pet shared living system that integrates pet activities into contemporary domestic space, four adaptable modules can be freely configured on walls or floors to create interactive pathways, resting areas, and feeding zones, circular openings support natural pet movement while maintaining visual and spatial connections with users, the flat-pack structure and tool-free assembly improve flexibility, user participation, and support sustainable living practices
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Product dimensions 330 x 330 x 330mm, 660 x 330 x 330mm, 660 x 330 x 660mm, 660 x 330 x 660mm
Packaging size 350 x 350 x 120mm, 680 x 350 x 110mm, 680 x 680 x 110mm, 680 x 680 x 110mm - Tags
- human pet cohabitation system, modular living infrastructure, spatial interaction design, adaptive domestic environment, lifestyle integration innovation
- Production Technology
- The product is manufactured using a CNC automated production line that enables batch size one customization, integrated CAD and CAM workflows ensure precise machining of each component, the structure is made from BS 1088 certified marine grade birch plywood with Baltic birch veneers bonded using WBP phenolic resin for void free and moisture resistant construction, invisible connectors from Lamello are used with the Clamex system, allowing detachable assembly without visible hardware, CNC machined T slot grooves ensure accurate alignment and structural fit
- Design Challenge
- A key challenge was addressing the growing social shift toward human pet cohabitation within limited urban living spaces, conventional furniture separates pet activities from human environments, creating spatial conflict and reduced interaction, the project required balancing pet behavior, human comfort, and spatial efficiency within a unified system, through iterative prototyping and behavioral observation, the design overcame structural, usability, and adaptability challenges, enabling flexible configurations that support shared living and evolving domestic lifestyles
- Project Duration
- The project was launched in beijing in early 2021, the collection was manufactured in a furniture factory in pizhou jiangsu and achieved mass production after eighteen months of development, it debuted at the Tops pet fair in hangzhou in july 2022 and was later exhibited at the Asia pet fair in shenzhen in september 2022, where it was selected for the U plus demo show, the design received both utility model and design patents in september 2022, in 2023, the product became available through the self operated platform of JD.com
- Operation Flow
- Users assemble the modules by slotting components together without tools, the units can be placed on floors or mounted on walls according to different spatial needs, modules can be freely combined to form resting, feeding, or passage areas, pets move naturally through circular openings that connect each unit, while owners can adjust layouts over time, the system supports continuous reconfiguration and enables shared interaction and adaptable living environments for both humans and pets
- Research
- This project employs applied design research to explore shared living solutions for humans and pets, the objective was to develop adaptable furniture promoting interaction and spatial coexistence, a user centered methodology combined behavioral observation with iterative spatial prototyping, data were gathered from pet movement patterns and domestic usage scenarios using modular testing tools, pet owners and their animals participated in evaluations, results demonstrated improved flexibility and engagement, strengthening product differentiation and commercial competitiveness
- Inspiration
- The design was inspired by the evolving relationship between humans and pets in contemporary urban living, where pets increasingly share emotional and spatial roles within the home, by observing how pets naturally seek connection, movement, and proximity to their owners, the project explores ways to merge pet activities with everyday living environments, this approach transforms furniture into a shared spatial system that supports interaction, coexistence, and adaptable lifestyles
- Image Credits
- Image 1 Designer Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo Kaleido 2022
Image 2 Designer Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo Kaleido 2022
Image 3 Designer Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo Kaleido 2022
Image 4 Designer Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo Kaleido 2022
Image 5 Designer Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo Kaleido 2022
Video credits photographed at the production factory in 2022 by designers Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo - Patents
- This design project has obtained patent certificates including utility model patent ZL202221330204 8 and design patents ZL202230327258 8, ZL202230327285 5, ZL202230327413 6, registered in China
Colors of Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture
Design Interview about Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture
The design is based on the idea of integrating pet activity into contemporary living environments. Inspired by the evolving relationship between humans and pets, it rethinks furniture as a shared spatial system rather than isolated objects, enabling interaction, coexistence, and continuity within the home.
The main focus was to transform pet furniture from independent products into an integrated spatial solution. The goal was to create a modular system that improves space efficiency, enhances interaction, and allows both humans and pets to share a unified living environment.
Future plans include expanding distribution channels and exploring partnerships for broader commercialization.
The concept evolved over approximately eighteen months, including research, prototyping, testing, and refinement before reaching a production-ready stage.
This design originated from independent exploration rather than a commissioned project. It was driven by observations of how pets interact with domestic spaces and the lack of integrated solutions in the current market.
The design has been mass-produced and implemented using a smart manufacturing system. Future plans include expanding distribution channels and exploring partnerships for broader commercialization.
The increasing role of pets within households and the limitations of existing pet products motivated this work. It reflects a shift toward designing for shared living systems rather than single-purpose objects.
The project was not directly influenced by specific designers but was informed by broader developments in modular design, spatial systems, and contemporary furniture practices.
The target users are urban households with pets, particularly those who value design quality, spatial organization, and integrated living environments.
Unlike conventional pet furniture, this design functions as a spatial system rather than an isolated object. Its modular structure allows continuous reconfiguration, integrating pet movement into architectural space while maintaining visual and functional coherence.
The name reflects the core concept of modularity and shared living. It emphasizes flexibility, adaptability, and the integration of human and pet environments into a unified system.
The project involved a combination of digital modeling tools, CAD systems, and CNC-based production processes, supported by physical prototyping and iterative testing.
The most unique aspect is the transformation of furniture into a spatial framework that supports both human and pet activities, allowing dynamic interaction within a unified environment.
I collaborated with designer Bin Guo on this project, while also working closely with manufacturing specialists and engineers in areas including CNC machining, material selection, and structural optimization.
Technology plays a key role in enabling precision manufacturing and modular consistency. CNC machining ensures accuracy, repeatability, and scalability across different configurations.
The design is informed by observational research on pet behavior, spatial usage, and user interaction. It also considers material performance and production feasibility through iterative testing.
Key challenges included balancing structural stability with modular flexibility, ensuring ease of assembly, and achieving consistency across different configurations while maintaining aesthetic clarity.
The project was submitted to share its design approach with a broader international audience and to evaluate its relevance within a global design context.
The process reinforced the importance of system thinking in design and improved the ability to integrate creativity with manufacturing and real-world constraints.
This project reflects a broader exploration of how design can respond to changing lifestyles. It demonstrates how modular systems can support adaptability, sustainability, and new forms of shared living.
Grand Interview about Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture
The circular openings became one of the defining elements of Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture because they emerged directly from observing how cats and small companion animals naturally move through domestic environments. During early behavioral studies, I noticed that pets rarely travel in straight lines. Instead, they prefer routes that allow them to remain visually connected to their owners while maintaining a sense of safety and autonomy.The circular passageways were developed as more than simple access points. Their dimensions were refined through multiple prototypes to support smooth movement, encourage exploration, and create moments of interaction between pets and humans. Unlike enclosed pet furniture that isolates animals from household activities, the openings allow pets to observe their surroundings and maintain continuous visual contact with family members.From a broader design perspective, this feature reflects my belief that pet-oriented products should not separate animal life from human life. The goal was to create furniture that supports emotional coexistence rather than physical segregation. The openings become small architectural windows that connect different spatial levels, allowing movement, curiosity, and companionship to occur naturally. In this sense, Kaleido is not only a furniture system but also a framework for strengthening the everyday relationship between humans and their pets.
As urban living spaces become increasingly compact, many pet products remain treated as temporary accessories that are added to interiors after the home has already been designed. This often creates visual clutter, inefficient use of space, and a separation between human and pet activities.Kaleido Modular Pet Furniture was conceived as an integrated living system rather than a standalone pet product. The design transforms walls, corners, and underutilized areas into multifunctional spaces that serve both people and animals. By combining climbing, resting, feeding, and circulation functions within a modular framework, the system minimizes the need for multiple independent pet products occupying valuable floor space.Equally important was the desire to preserve architectural harmony. The modular components use a restrained visual language and carefully proportioned forms that complement contemporary interiors instead of competing with them. This allows pet infrastructure to become part of the home's design rather than an afterthought.Ultimately, the project addresses a growing cultural shift in which pets are increasingly regarded as family members. Instead of asking homeowners to choose between aesthetic quality and pet wellbeing, Kaleido demonstrates that both can coexist through thoughtful spatial design.
The adoption of CNC automated manufacturing fundamentally changed the way Kaleido could respond to diverse living environments. Traditional furniture production often relies on standardized dimensions that limit adaptability, yet pet ownership introduces highly individualized spatial requirements influenced by architecture, household layout, and animal behavior.By utilizing CNC production together with batch-size-one customization capabilities, we were able to maintain industrial precision while allowing greater flexibility in configuration and scale. This approach enabled modules to be adjusted according to wall dimensions, room proportions, and specific user needs without sacrificing manufacturing efficiency.The use of BS1088-certified marine-grade birch plywood further supported this strategy. Its dimensional stability and structural consistency allowed components to maintain accuracy during machining while ensuring long-term durability under daily use. Invisible connectors reinforced the architectural appearance of the system by eliminating unnecessary visual interruptions.The result is a product that bridges customization and mass production. Rather than forcing households to adapt to furniture, the furniture can adapt to the household, creating a more personalized and sustainable relationship between people, pets, and living space.
Receiving the Golden A' Design Award was deeply meaningful because it reflects a broader shift occurring within both the design industry and consumer culture. For many years, pet products were primarily evaluated according to utility, affordability, or novelty. Today, there is increasing recognition that pets occupy an important social and emotional role within the family, and design must respond accordingly.I believe the award acknowledges the growing expectation that furniture should address the needs of all inhabitants of a home rather than exclusively serving humans. Consumers are increasingly seeking products that support wellbeing, emotional connection, and spatial efficiency while maintaining strong aesthetic standards.For the design community, this recognition signals an expansion of what constitutes meaningful design innovation. The future of residential design will involve a more holistic understanding of shared living environments where humans and animals coexist as active participants in everyday life.Kaleido represents this evolution by combining architecture, furniture design, behavioral research, and manufacturing technology into a unified system. The award suggests that design excellence today is measured not only by appearance and function but also by the quality of relationships a design helps foster.
One particularly influential moment occurred during prototype testing when we observed that several cats consistently paused inside transitional spaces rather than simply moving through them. Initially, we had designed the modules primarily as circulation pathways connecting different functional zones. However, the animals treated these intermediate areas as destinations in themselves.This observation challenged our original assumptions and led us to reconsider the relationship between movement and comfort. We began introducing larger resting surfaces, improved sightlines, and more opportunities for observation within the circulation network. The system gradually evolved from a collection of connected modules into a layered environment that accommodated exploration, surveillance, rest, and social interaction simultaneously.This insight highlighted an important principle: pets do not experience space according to the same functional logic that designers often impose. Their behavior revealed that transitional areas can possess emotional value and spatial meaning. By adapting the design in response to these observations, Kaleido became more aligned with natural animal behavior and ultimately more successful as a shared living environment.
The design process behind Kaleido began with a simple observation: pets constantly negotiate between independence and companionship. Rather than remaining in a single location, they move throughout the home seeking elevated viewpoints, protected resting areas, and opportunities to remain close to their owners without direct interaction.To better understand these patterns, we studied daily movement behaviors across different household environments and documented how pets transitioned between activities such as resting, observing, climbing, feeding, and social engagement. We found that animals preferred routes that offered both visibility and choice, allowing them to move freely while maintaining awareness of household activity.These findings directly influenced the modular structure of Kaleido. The proportions of each module were carefully developed to support natural movement sequences rather than isolated functions. Resting platforms were positioned adjacent to circulation routes, while openings and visual corridors were integrated to encourage exploration without creating feelings of confinement.The final design can therefore be understood as a spatial translation of observed behavior. Instead of imposing predetermined patterns of use, the system provides a flexible framework that accommodates the diverse ways pets naturally inhabit domestic space. This research-driven approach allowed the project to become more intuitive, adaptable, and emotionally responsive for both animals and their owners.
I believe the future of human-pet living will become increasingly diverse, requiring furniture systems that can adapt to changing spatial conditions, family structures, and cultural expectations. While Kaleido was initially developed within the context of contemporary urban housing in China, the underlying design principles are highly universal: flexibility, adaptability, and shared living.In micro-apartments, future versions of the system could place greater emphasis on vertical utilization and multifunctional integration, transforming walls into active living infrastructure for both people and pets. For multi-pet households, expanded modular networks could support different behavioral needs while reducing competition for territory and resources.Internationally, adaptation will require sensitivity to regional architectural characteristics and cultural attitudes toward pet ownership. Homes in Europe, North America, and other markets often differ significantly in ceiling heights, room proportions, circulation patterns, and lifestyle habits. Modular design provides an ideal foundation for responding to these variations without changing the core design philosophy.Looking ahead, I envision Kaleido evolving into a broader platform that integrates furniture, architecture, and smart technology. The goal is to create living environments that continuously adapt to the needs of both humans and animals, supporting healthier, more connected forms of coexistence in an increasingly urbanized world.
Kaleido represents a meaningful convergence of many experiences that have shaped my professional journey. My education in Russia provided a strong foundation in artistic thinking, spatial composition, and cultural observation, while my career in the home furnishing industry exposed me to the realities of manufacturing, user behavior, and commercial implementation. This project allowed those different perspectives to come together within a single design challenge.Throughout my career, I have been interested in how design can bridge the gap between emotional needs and practical requirements. Kaleido embodies this belief by addressing not only functional problems but also the invisible relationships that define everyday life. The project explores how furniture can become a mediator between humans, animals, and the spaces they share.On a personal level, the project reflects my commitment to integrated design strategy, where products are not viewed as isolated objects but as components within broader social and spatial systems. Every design decision, from behavioral research to manufacturing methodology, was guided by the desire to create meaningful experiences rather than simply new forms.Ultimately, I hope Kaleido contributes to a global conversation about inclusivity in residential design. As pets increasingly become recognized as family members, designers have an opportunity to rethink domestic environments in ways that are more compassionate, adaptable, and responsive to all forms of life that inhabit them.
The tool-free assembly and flat-pack structure were never intended solely as logistical solutions. From the beginning, I viewed them as opportunities to encourage active participation by the user in shaping the living environment. Traditional furniture is often fixed and static, while the needs of both pets and households continuously evolve over time.By allowing modules to be assembled, rearranged, expanded, and reconfigured without specialized tools, Kaleido transforms owners from passive consumers into active collaborators. The furniture becomes a dynamic system that can respond to changes in pet behavior, household layout, family growth, or evolving lifestyle preferences.This participatory dimension creates a unique relationship between owner, pet, and space. Owners observe how their pets interact with different configurations and can modify the environment accordingly. Pets, in turn, influence future spatial decisions through their behavior and preferences. The design therefore supports an ongoing dialogue rather than a one-time purchase.I find this aspect particularly meaningful because it reflects a broader shift in contemporary design. Products should not merely serve users; they should empower users to shape experiences. In this sense, Kaleido functions as a living platform that evolves through interaction, observation, and shared adaptation over many years of use.
Material selection played a critical role in defining both the performance and emotional character of Kaleido. During development, we sought a material capable of meeting demanding structural requirements while also creating a warm and welcoming presence within the home. BS1088-certified marine-grade birch plywood emerged as the ideal solution because of its exceptional stability, durability, and refined visual quality.From a technical perspective, its void-free construction and moisture-resistant properties provide long-term reliability under daily use. The material performs consistently during CNC machining, allowing components to achieve the precision necessary for modular assembly and seamless integration with invisible connectors.Equally important were its sensory qualities. The natural Baltic birch veneer introduces warmth, texture, and authenticity that help the furniture blend harmoniously into contemporary interiors. Unlike many pet products that emphasize utility at the expense of aesthetics, Kaleido was designed to feel like a genuine piece of furniture that belongs within the home.I believe materials communicate values. By selecting a material that combines longevity, craftsmanship, and visual integrity, we sought to create an object that owners would appreciate as part of their living environment while simultaneously providing a safe and comfortable habitat for their pets. The material therefore contributes not only to function but also to the emotional experience of shared living.