Looking out inquisitively onto a busy New York City avenue, a white and grey cat perches on a counter that is supported by a base that fittingly reads M E O W in bold. She soaks in warm light that beams through a floor-to-ceiling window, while dozens of other felines play and lounge throughout the rest of their 800sf domain. These cats are temporary residents at Meow Parlour, a modest venue that allows adoptable cats and city-goers a chance to interact within a comfortable – and refreshingly upbeat – environment.

The Meow Parlour, an entry from Archinect’s call for submissions for “Tightly-Budgeted Work”, is the first of its kind in New York. These types of spaces are becoming increasingly popular, and are proving to be a successful alternative to housing rescues in run-of-the-mill shelters. Creating a comfortable space for adoptable cats within an interior that’s spacious and aesthetically pleasing can certainly make a difference – for both the animal as well as the individual seeking to adopt. With a limited budget, however, designing a space like this requires an architect to get fairly resourceful.

In light of this month’s focus on projects with limited resources, Sonya Lee's work on the Meow Parlour is a wonderful example of a fresh concept done on a dime. Read on for a more detailed description of the space, in the architects own words... 

Meow Parlour is a modern, retail shop that integrates seating and display throughout its thoughtfully detailed space. Proudly exclaiming in the expansive glass storefront are large block lettering M E O W, where cats nestle in between each letter and do what New Yorker's do best: watch all the people passing on the street! The lounge space is defined by various seating configurations, creating a depth in section to the 800sf space.

Tall countertop seating is supported by a vertical maze for the cats to play hide and seek, as their visitors sip their coffees.

Tall countertop seating is supported by a vertical maze for the cats to play hide and seek, as their visitors sip their coffees. Low hexagonal tables with laser-cut acrylic tops have cat head profiles as their entry door for the kitties to hide below. The spectacle of watching the cats nap below while functioning as a low table provides entertainment for all. A custom plywood display along the main space serves both as lounge seating for visitors, a playful maze for the cats as well as a 3-dimensional graphic anchoring the space. 

Then there was the resourceful outsourcing -- we discovered talents amongst us, where baker friends had past lives as millworkers...

We worked very closely with Christina Ha and Emilie Legrand, our clients, during construction. This included purchasing materials directly (lighting fixtures, wood flooring, countertops, perforated metal panel, etc.) and pricing out directly with different vendors (laser cutting the acrylic tabletops, etc.). We adjusted dimensions of cabinetry to meet prefabricated countertops as needed. Then there was the resourceful outsourcing -- we discovered talents amongst us, where baker friends had past lives as millworkers were able to cut out the cat shaped heads from the low cat bed tables and millworker friends created the storefront signage. Directly purchasing materials provided a clear budget, which was crucial in staying within our economic resources.

"Meow Parlour" by Sonya Lee Architect LLC was selected from an open call for submissions to be featured as part of Money, our theme for March 2016. For more information, and to submit your work, click here.