Hulumao Lounge Chair Cat Toy by Shih-Chang Hsiao & Yu-luen Huang

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DESIGN DETAILS

DESIGN NAME:
Hulumao Lounge Chair

PRIMARY FUNCTION:
Cat Toy

INSPIRATION:
This project was inspired by observing the behavior of cats towards playing with a recycled cardboard box. Using eco friendly material is a great idea for making fun toys for cats. The first idea came to designer minds were cat house or bed. The cat owners can participate in building their own cat houses for their cats to sleep in and play with.

UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Lounge Chair is a multi purpose cat toy with scratcher. A cave like semi open space provides hiding and security functions. The sloped area provides comfortable space for the cats to play and rest. The scratcher is located in the center of the interior for the cats to exercise their paws. The scratcher can be replaced when needed. It takes only a few minutes to assemble the product. This product also comes with a flattened package design for easy shipping.

OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION:
Lounge Chair can be assembled with only a few steps. While assembling the unit, the owners of the cat are able to have the joy of taking ownership of constructing Lounge Chair for their cats. Many cat owners also observe the phenomenon that while Lounge Bed is being assembled, their cats tend to be curiously staying around through the whole assembly process. The structure is strong and solid due to the double-layered hard corrugated cardboard that provides sufficient strength against the paws of cat. The semi-open space is ideal for cats of any size.

PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION:
The project started in March 2016 and finished in July 2016 for final production in Taiwan. The product has been on the market since August 2016.

PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY:
To ensure the right proportion and structure of the design as well as working efficiency Lounge Chair was started from small scale models and then turned into full scale model. It is made from hard corrugated cardboard and formed by many sloped angle shapes. The cardboard can only be folded in straight lines to form shapes. This characteristic limitation of the hard corrugated cardboard dictates a geometric form. The 3D structure was created by using design software to make the job possible in terms of efficiency and precision.

SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES:
Width 560 mm x Depth 410 mm x Depth 260 mm, 2 kg, Corrugated Cardboard

TAGS:
hulumao, lounge chair, cat bed, cardboard paper, le cheer, cat house, pet

RESEARCH ABSTRACT:
In order to have a better understanding of the cat behavior, research on the web and visits with friends who have cats for observation was necessary. The conclusion is that cats love cardboard boxes. In the wild, cats like to hide in caves or tiny spaces because these places provide a sense of protection for them from their predators. They only have to pay attention to the entrance area of the cave. Cats like cardboard boxes for the same reason - they provide the protection that cats like. Cardboard has the property to keep heat, maintain warmth and provide a comfortable surface texture for cats.

CHALLENGE:
The cardboard product made for cats is not a new idea. However, most cardboard products made for cats on the market nowadays are cube boxes like, or are focused on the surface decorations rather than the structure of the form itself. The importance of the structure can make a big difference for this project to be different from any other preexisting products. The cat toys can be an important piece of furniture in people’s living area. Le Cheer likes Lounge Chair to be able to accommodate the esthetic of the environment it is in or stand out as an interesting structure in the living space. The challenge of this product is to find a good balance between the material and the structure of the form for production. The structure made of hard corrugated cardboard can be weak if not properly designed. Each plane surface of the cardboard has to have the capacity to support the whole entire structure. Ex.,what is the best way to assemble the flat 2D cardboard into a 3D form? How much can the material take the weight of the cat? What kind of minimal structure of the cat bed gives the best support and comfort to the cat? The product with a great structural design not only strengthens the object for easy assembling, but also enables the capability for mass production.

ADDED DATE:
2016-09-21 04:21:10

TEAM MEMBERS (1) :
Yu-luen Huang

IMAGE CREDITS:
Shih-Chang Hsiao

PATENTS/COPYRIGHTS:
copyright of Le Cheer Co., Ltd.

Visit the following page to learn more: http://www.lecheer.com.tw

CLIENT/STUDIO/BRAND DETAILS

NAME:
Le Cheer

PROFILE:
Le Cheer is located in Taipei, Taiwan and founded by Shih-Chang Hsiao, as a professional industrial designer for years. The goal of Le Cheer is dedicated to produce the well-designed lifestyle products for people enjoying using them. The products created by Le Cheer are mostly developing with four fundamentals, practical functionality, ease of use, aesthetic in style and moderate price.

AWARD DETAILS
	Hulumao Lounge Chair Cat Toy by Shih-Chang Hsiao & Yu-Luen Huang is Winner in Pet Supplies and Products for Animals Design Category, 2016 - 2017. · Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Shih-Chang Hsiao & Yu-luen Huang. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Shih-Chang Hsiao & Yu-luen Huang.