Kaleido Wins Gold in A' Pet and Animal Product Awards

Kaleido, a modular pet furniture system by Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo, won Gold in the A' Design Award's Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals category. The recognition highlights a growing push for adaptable, sustainable home solutions that help pets and owners share the same living space.

Why it matters: - Kaleido reflects a broader shift in pet care design toward products that fit modern urban homes and support shared human-pet living. - The Gold A' Design Award places the project among recognized designs judged for innovation, functionality, sustainability and user value. - The award may help bring more attention to flexible, space-saving pet furniture that can be integrated into everyday domestic environments.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Kaleido, a modular pet furniture system by Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo, a Gold winner in the Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design category. - The recognition was announced on June 17, 2026. - Kaleido was developed as a human-pet shared living system with adaptable design and sustainable construction. - More information is available on the A' Design Awards project page.

The details: - Kaleido uses four adaptable modules that can be configured on walls or floors. - The system can form interactive pathways, resting areas and feeding zones. - Circular openings support pet movement while preserving visual and spatial connection between pets and owners. - Tool-free assembly and flat-pack packaging are built into the design. - The product is manufactured on a CNC automated production line that supports batch-size-one customization. - Integrated CAD and CAM workflows guide precise machining of each component. - The structure uses BS 1088 certified marine grade birch plywood with Baltic birch veneers bonded with WBP phenolic resin. - Invisible Lamello connectors with the Clamex system and CNC machined T-slot grooves allow detachable assembly without visible hardware. - The design process included behavioral observation and iterative spatial prototyping.

Between the lines: - The award underscores how pet products are moving beyond standalone accessories and into architecture-like systems that shape how homes are used. - Kaleido's emphasis on customization and modularity points to demand for pet products that fit smaller and more flexible living spaces. - The sustainability angle suggests that material choices and flat-pack construction are becoming more central in premium pet design.

What's next: - The recognition could encourage Dongliang Lu and Bin Guo to keep developing shared living systems for people and pets. - The award may also draw more interest to sustainable materials and adaptable domestic products across the pet care industry. - The A' Design Award highlights the project as a benchmark for future innovation in pet furniture and space-efficient design.