KUBLE: COFFEE TABLE
DESIGN WITHIN REACH
"Where Comfort Meets Purrfection for You and Your Cat."
RESEARCH | BRANDING | IDEATION | 3D MODELING RENDERING | PROTOTYPING | AI GENERATION
Product Design 4 | SU23 | ArtCenter College of Design
Instructor: Jeffery Johns | 14 Weeks Project
INTRODUCTION
This project was aimed to explore new directions for the brand Design within Reach, introducing Kuble as a venture into pet-friendly furniture.
Kuble features an integrated cat home system—complete with a mattress, cat tree, and scratcher—melds seamlessly into modern living spaces, fostering a highly interactive and relaxing environment for both cats and their owners.
SCALE
Designed to match the standard size of market coffee tables, this piece features a cat home system tailored for small to medium-sized cats.
EASY-CLEAN
The coffee table is designed for easy disassembly; cushions attach magnetically to the main body, and cat tree components screw into threaded holes, facilitating cleaning and maintaining a fresh environment.
MATERIAL
The table top features polished oak for a smooth feel, while the cushions are crafted from breathable nylon fabric, ensuring superior odor control and durability for repeated use.
The outer shell is made from highly recyclable foam, offering protection against cat damage and enhancing structural support.
COLORWAYS
PROTOTYPE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
BACKGROUND RESEARCH
With the growing trend of pet ownership worldwide, there's significant opportunity in the pet product market. This prompts the question: could Design Within Reach explore potential avenues in pet-related designs?
DIRECTION
After brainstorming, I envisioned integrating a cat home into furniture, selecting a coffee table for its ample space and potential to foster a shared, relaxing atmosphere for pets and their owners.
MIDTERM
After some form development, I came out with the first model, which is a little uncoordinate with the design direction: It was a little ambiguous on the location, the scale looks more like a side table, also the shape is too randomnized, there needs a specific problem to solve.
PROBLEM
Post-midterm, I revisited market research to identify common issues with existing pet products, selecting three key problems for my product to address: vulnerability, difficulty in cleaning, and lack of aesthetic appeal.
FORM DEVELOPMENT
This time, armed with solid scale data and research, I began exploring various forms. Ultimately, the oval shape emerged as the most aesthetically pleasing and conducive to relaxation.
FINALIZING
In the final phase, my focus shifted to the form's detailed surfacing, conducting extensive CMF studies and ensuring all disassemble parts were logically designed.
