In Polish cities, feral cats are a permanent, though often overlooked, part of the urban ecosystem. Their presence, however, calls for solutions that simultaneously protect the animals, support community carers and respect the needs of landowners. This was the focus of this year’s edition of the international KOTY(dż) workshops, which once again brought together architecture and design students in Poznań at the end of June to work on practical responses to the challenges associated with cats living in urban spaces.
There are tens of thousands of free-roaming cats in Poland. They form an integral part of the urban ecosystem and – to the surprise of many – are protected by law. Under current legislation, it is not only the animals themselves that are protected, but also the places where they live; therefore, measures taken on behalf of cats should take into account both their welfare and the preservation of their existing habitats. However, their presence in cities often presents numerous challenges – for the animals themselves, as well as for residents and land managers. It is precisely at the intersection of architecture, ecology and social responsibility that the KOTY(dż) project has been developing since 2018.
Organised by the Punkt Wspólny Association, SARP Poznań and the Magdalena Abakanowicz University of Arts in Poznań , this year’s workshops brought together 55 students of architecture, design and related disciplines from Poland, Germany and Hungary. Working in international teams over eight days (19–27 June), the participants developed solutions for four locations in Poznań, designing and constructing shelters and small-scale infrastructure for feral cats.
This year’s edition marked the first time the focus had shifted so significantly away from designing individual cat houses. The teams worked on comprehensive small-scale infrastructure systems for cats, comprising shelters, ‘cat canteens’ – small, covered feeding points – and solutions to improve the animals’ safety at specificlocations that differed significantly from one another. Each workshop project was developed in close collaboration with local feeders, landowners and the Głosem Zwierząt Foundation, which acted as the workshops’ technical partner.
One of the most challenging workshop locations was the O. Kopczyński Family Allotment Garden, home to around thirty feral cats. Family allotment gardens are among the most important habitats for feral cats in Polish cities. Dense vegetation, limited traffic and numerous nooks and crannies provide the animals with shelter and access to food. At the same time, many such places still lack the necessary infrastructure to enable cats to survive the winter safely. At the O. Kopczyński Family Allotment Garden, the animals previously had no winter shelters and lived in a neglected green belt littered with abandoned sheds and construction waste. A team working at this site, led by Dawid Strębicki and Jola Starzak from the Atelier Starzak Strębicki studio, has designed a system of three shelters based on a single, shared wooden structure. The ‘Pharaoh’s Cat’ project draws inspiration from ancient architecture, combining a simple, modular form with high practical value. The shelters are fitted with insulated compartments, double-sided entrance areas providing protection from the wind, and easily removable roofs to allow the caretaker to carry out cleaning and maintenance. The entire structure has been raised above ground level to protect it from damp, whilst theopen frame allows for future expansion to include further shelters or integrated feeding points. The project also utilises locally sourced materials, thereby aligning with the principles of resource reuse and the long-term development of infrastructure for free-roaming cats.
The KOTY(dż) workshops returned to the Chociszewski Family Allotment Garden after a two-year hiatus. The first project was completed here during the 2024 edition, but the needs of the volunteer carers and the feral cats that are a permanent presence on the site meant that the garden was once again included on the map of workshop locations. This time, the team led by German architect Mirza Vranjaković took on the challenge of creating a shelter for the seven cats living on the small recreational plot. The limited space served as the starting point for developing an unconventional solution – a vertical ‘cat house’ which takes up a minimal amount of space, whilst combining the functions of a shelter, a feeding station and a vantage point for observing the surroundings. The ‘Drapak Chmurrr’ project consists of four separate sleeping compartments, connected by a system of shelves allowing the cats to move freely between levels. An observation point has been created on the top level, whilst a covered feeding area for the animals has been integrated into the ground floor. All the shelter modules have removable roofs, which makes it much easier for carers to clean them and replace the bedding. By utilising the existing fencing and featuring a slender design, the structure blends harmoniously into the garden, leaving valuable space on the plot for the owners’ everyday use.
The site next to the car workshop on Różany Potok was of a completely different nature. The area is home to around 23 feral cats, and until now it had been a place full of dangers for them – the animals used to hide under cars, in disused vehicles and in makeshift shelters scattered across the plot. The garage’s daily operations and heavy traffic meant the cats were constantly at risk. The task for the team led by Kasia Buczkowska-Grobecka from the KTURA Architekci studio was to organise the entire system of shelters and feeding points and relocate it to a quieter part of the site. The ‘MIAUSCE’ project, which was developedas part of a series of workshops, involved creating two well-insulated shelters located in a pine grove, as well as two separate feeding points situated in different parts of the site. Spreading out the infrastructure helped to reduce conflicts between more territorial cats,whilst gradually encouraging the animals to move from the busier part of the workshop to a much safer area – near a small pine grove. Each of the resulting shelters is equipped with two separate sleeping compartments and vestibules to minimise heat loss, whilst the ‘feeding stations’ have been designed to ensure easy access for cleaning, protection from the rain, and a convenient space for water and food. In their design, the studentsdeliberately draw on the character of a car workshop. Simple wooden structures are mounted on striking red steel frames, the form of which is complemented by the use of car tyres. These elements do not serve a purely aesthetic function – they help to define the project’s identity by drawing on the workshop’s day-to-day activities and the materials found on the site. As a result, the shelters become a natural part of the industrial-garden landscape of Różany Potok, demonstrating that architecture for animals can blend harmoniously into the context of the place from which it springs.
The workshop’s previous location was on Dziewońska Street, where around 25 feral cats have found shelter on private property for years. The central feature there was a small wooden shed, serving as a storeroom and a makeshift base for the cats’ carer. The task of the team led by German architect Gaizka Altunawas to transform the existing structure into a multifunctional space that would meet the needs of both the animals and their carer, without the need to demolish or extend the building itself.
The main premise of the ‘2theWall’ project was therefore to treat the existing shed as the heart of the entire cat-care infrastructure on the plot. Two lightweight wooden structures, intersecting at right angles, were installed within the building. The lower beam creates a functional zone with space for litter trays, a storage area for food and accessories, and a hidden tunnel allowing the cats to move freely between both sides. The upper structure, on the other hand, servesas a recreational area – equipped with shelves, platforms, ramps and hammocks that encourage the cats to climb, play and rest. The two beams also connect the two trees growing on either side of the shed, creating a natural link between the garden and the interior.
The resulting design organises the space without detracting from its natural character. The clear division into functional and recreational zones improves comfort for both the animals and their carer, facilitating daily care and keeping the area clean. The light wooden structure blends subtly into the garden setting, whilst the vivid magenta elements highlight the new architectural interventions, giving the whole a contemporary, distinctive character.
Since its first edition in 2018, the KOTY(dż) workshops have consistently developed the concept of designing for animals living in the city. This year’s edition demonstrated that architecture for cats is much more than simply building individual cat houses – it involves designing comprehensive systems of shelters, feeding points and spaces that support the safe coexistence of people and animals in an urban environment. However, KOTY(dż) is not just a design and implementation workshop, but also a school of responsible design. Participants learn to analyse the real needs of users, collaborate with local communities and carry out their projects themselves. The resulting projects remain in the city for years, becoming not only a shelter for free-roaming cats, but also a catalyst for discussion about responsible design, care for shared spaces, and the relationships between residents, architecture and the urban ecosystem.
source: press materials
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