slat and slide — Avril Griessbach Portfolio

Avril Griessbach

Industrial designer with several years of experience in the
tool industry, consumer products, design leadership, and corporate branding strategy.

Passionate about user-centric processes and creating satisfying solutions.

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Design

Redesign

Misc.

Slat & Slide

A modular cat tower created in partnership with Modkat®, a leading brand in the litter box industry, creating thoughtful and discreet designs for modern homes.

client-work, refined prototyping, woodworking, user research, ideation

“Design a product which exemplifies Modkat’s brand language and disrupts the current market of cat products.”

Modkat’s current product ranges:

litter boxes

litter scoops

litter box liners

cat scratchers

The ‘Cat Parent’ Demographic:

Trend:

Cats are replacing children in younger generations due to lower income and negative outlooks on raising children in the current climate

Effect:

people are willing to spend more on their pets

Trend:

COVID-19 caused an increase in pet acquisition for a variety of reasons

Effect:

the market for pet products and services is growing

Trend:

homeownership rates are falling

Effect:

there is a need for solutions specific to rental houses, apartments, co-ops, and mobile homes.

Trend:

“Three quarters of all pet owners agree that being a pet parent is an important part of their identity”

Effect:

important to address the target market as pet parents rather than owners
offer unique ways in which pet parents can express their identity through individualized products

Trend:

“...many cats living in private homes may be receiving only minimal environmental enrichment”

Effect:

brands should emphasize the importance of an engaging environment for their cats, and educate cat owners on their cats’ needs.

Market Research and Opportunities

pros: large variety of toys
cons: material-quality, ‘cheap’ aesthetic ($12)

pros: inconspicuous, modern
cons: price point, made of plastic, not a very attractive material for cats to use ($99.99)

pros: modern, inconspicuous
cons: very expensive , limiting as a cat ‘tree’ ( $599)

pros: modular, multipurpose
cons: cheap appearance, not very stable, expensive ($360)

pros: natural materials, craftsmanship, variety
cons: only one ‘play mode’ ($16)

pros: quality materials, simple design, recyclable components
cons: price point, some questions of durability ($109)

pros: semi-inconspicuous
cons: assembly, not ideal for heavier cats, slippery surfaces, general lack of quality ($280)

pros: modern, durable design, multiple ‘play-modes’
cons: price point, ‘play-modes’ are all within a busy-box style ($35)

pros: price point, different setups
cons: not tall enough for scratching well, cardboard isn’t replaceable ($30)

pros: modular, space-saving, quality materials
cons: complicated assembly, not renter-friendly ($160-586)

scratchers
facilitate healthy scratching and territorial behavior (can also double as furniture)

opportunities:

more modern and appropriate materials and form
focus on longevity/ repairability (can it transform with use?)

climbing trees
provide environmental enrichment through climbing, scratching, hiding spaces, and providing ‘territory’

opportunities:

more modern, neutral materials and form
adaptable without relying on wall mounting
customizable for cat preferences and agility
a shared space for parents and cats alike

toys
promote play for mental stimulation

opportunities:

inexpensive natural materials
larger selection and variety

Ideation

Refined Ideation

Full-Scale Prototyping

laser-cutting for quick and accurate pieces for assembly

first mock-up to gauge size of the cat tree

scored corners to mock up desired corner radius

closed off compartments could be used as extra storage space (e.g. food, toys)

overlapping portions give cats hiding places where they can peek around or through the slats

Refinement

Modkat owners Brett & Rich provided feedback on this prototype that it felt too large and visually heavy.

Reduced the number of units to two and reduced the size of one of said units.
Changed the layout of the slats to visually lighten the design.

design still allows for a variety of configurations and the smaller unit can be easily moved around to other locations in the living space

slats allow for a variety of accessories to be placed on different faces of the crates depending on the desired configuration

Prototyping Process

Materials & Manufacturability

In keeping with Modkat’s focus on sustainability without compromising durability and longevity, I looked for inspiration from loll DESIGNS‘ outdoor furniture created from recycled HDPE. This creates a robust, textured material which is long-lasting and easy to maintain which can be sustainably manufactured via CNC.

Slats are designed to be CNC-machined out of sheet material and corners would be injection molded.

Disassembles to ship flat with a minimal footprint.

Final Design & Prototype

photography by Elizabeth Lamark

Exhibit

I was selected as one of four finalists given the opportunity to present the project at ICFF in New York City.

Afterlife

My roommate/friend used the cat tree for his cat, Savvy, for a few more years.

Here the tree was also used to store the litter, litter box, and food.

Here I moved the smaller unit onto my desk so Savvy could keep me company while I worked.

Publications

Citations

https://www.rit.edu/metaproject/projects/person/avril-griessbach
https://www.rit.edu/metaproject/projects/metaproject-12

https://modkat.com/

Boesel, K. (2021). America’s Pet Owners [Industry Report]. Mintel. https://www.mintel.com/

Cat Person. “Woman Holding Cat with Matching Sweater.” People.com, 14 Apr. 2021, people.com/pets/cat-owner-and-cat-matching-hoodie-set/.

“Couple Holding Cat.” Flocktrends, media.flockrush.com/flockrush-loving-cats-o978717.jpg?v=1508328754.

Grigg, Emma K, and Lori R Kogan. “Owners’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Care Practices: Exploring the Implications for Domestic Cat Behavior and Welfare in the Home.” Animals : an open access journal from MDPI vol. 9,11 978. 15 Nov. 2019, doi:10.3390/ani9110978

Royalty free images from: canva.com

Final prototype photography by Elizabeth Lamark

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