Origami Heaven

A paperfolding paradise

The website of writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell

 

 
6-part Modular Designs (Hexoids)
 
Decorative variations of the basic 6-part cubes on this page can be found on the Cubes page.
 
  Name: The Tematebako

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Modules are developed from the traditional Menko using cuts.

Designer / Date: The earliest known modular origami design, dating back to at least 1734. Original designer unknown. More historical information about the Tematebako can be found here.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Playing Card Cube aka the Business Card Cube.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from rectangles using standard folding geometry. Originally from playing cards but can also be made from business cards, tickets etc..

Designer / Date: A traditional Western design dating back to at least 1800. Further historical information can be found here.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Photo Frame Cube - version of the Playing Card Cube which has pockets at the corner of each face into which the corners of photographs, windmill base or blintzed windmill base designs etc can be inserted. Proportions can easily be varied.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from rectangles using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2018.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Mystery Box

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules folded from 5x1 strips using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: If the design is traditional rather than modern then it is quite possibly the earliest example of a 'pure' (no cuts, no glue) flat-faced modular origami design.

Diagrams: In Honda's 'World of Origami' published in 1965.

 
  Name: Robert Neale's Octahedron, Skeletal Octahedron or Nolid Octahedron (6-part)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Robert Neale, mid 1960s. Many other paperfolders have independently originated this design , including Kunihiko Kasahara, also in the mid 1960's, slightly later than Robert Neale but on the other side of the world, and Joe Power, in Hawaii, sometime in the early to mid 1970's. Incorrectly attributed to Seiryo Takegawa in Origami Christmas Tree Decorations, Paul Jackson, BOS booklet 20, 1982.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Rosebud Octahedron - created by applying the rosebud distortion to one dimple of Robert Neale's Octahedron. Up to 4 of the 8 dimples can be distorted in this way.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1999.

Diagrams: In Building with Butterflies (2nd Edition) - Water Trade - ISBN 978-9534774-7-0.

 
  Name: Odditty

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1998.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The Sonobe Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Cubes made from larger numbers of modules are also possible.

Designer / Date: Mitsonobu Sonobe, c1965.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Skew Sonobe Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 Skew Sonobe modules from squares using the natural folding geometry of the 2x1 rectangle.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1990.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Sonobe 6-part 8-point Stubby Star / Convertible Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Stubby Stars made from larger numbers of modules are also possible.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, early 1990s.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Brocade (or occasionally Brochade)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Minako Ishibashi, 1980s.

Diagrams: In Origami: The Complete Guide to the Art of Paperfolding - Rick Beech - Lorenz Books (Anness Publishing) - ISBN 0754807827.

 
  Name: The Paul Jackson Cube.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Paul Jackson, early 1970's.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams can be found on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Unconventional Cube - a stable cube made from modules created in just three folds and assembled in an irregular way.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Modules identical to those of the 3-Fold Paul Jackson Cube.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2009.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams can be found on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Metamorphosis - arrived at by applying the metamorphosis 1 distortion to one complete corner of the Paul Jackson Cube.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1990. In its final clean form the design is my own but it owes much to the earlier work of Iris Walker, Ricky Wong and Wayne Brown.

Diagrams: In Building with Butterflies - David Mitchell - Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-7-0.

 
  Name: The Paul Jackson Cuboctahedron - produced by inverting all the corners of the Paul Jackson Cube to the mid-point of each edge.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Paul Jackson, shortly after discovering his eponymous cube, in the early 1970s.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Paper ball - a robust ball made by distorting all six corners of the Paul Jackson Cube. I made the ball in the picture in 1989 and have played keep it up tennis and catch with it on several occasions since. As you can see, it has survived quite well.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The Harlequin Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Kenneth Kawamura in the early 1970's.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Windmill Base Cuboctahedron - so named because the modules are obtained by partially opening out the folds of a standard windmill base.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: I discovered this design in 1989. It has also been discovered by Michael Naughton around about the same time. Priority in creating the design, however, belongs to Natale Fietta who published the design in 1986 in Quaderni di Quadrato Magico no 11.

 
  Name: The Letterbox Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1987.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The Harlequin Star aka Blue Balloon / Epsilon Star

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Kenneth Kawamura, early to mid 1970s. Robert Neale also independently discovered this design at an early date. I do not know who has creative priority.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Bi-colour Harlequin Stars

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Rhombicuboctahedron (6-part) / The Multi-Ball

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. There are versions from 4x4 and 3x3 grids.

Designer / Date: The 3x3 grid version was discovered by Kenneth Kawamura in the early to mid 1970s. Robert E Neale independently discovered the same design, and quite possibly also the 4x4 version, but cannot now recall at what date the discovery was made. Michael Naughton and I both also discovered both versions for ourselves in 1991 and 1988 respectively. Michael realised that the proportions of the designs could be varied so that the flat faces become oblongs rather than squares. He calls this variable version the Multi-Ball.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Dodecahedron (6-part)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from 2x1 rectangles using mock platinum folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Jun Maekawa, 1980s.

Diagrams: In Origami for the Connoisseur - Kunihiko Kasahara and Toshie Takahama - Japan Publications 1987 - ISBN 087040670.

 
  Name: Open-frame Tetrahedron

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from rectangular strips. 60/30 degree folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Francis Ow and Tomoko Fuse, both in the 1980's.

Diagrams:

 
  Name: Nolid Tetrahedron

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver rectangles.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988 / Ian Harrison.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Twin Deltahedral Dodecahedra - convertible design.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver rectangles.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988 and 2017.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Truncated Tetrahedron (6-part)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from bronze rectangles using 60/30 degree folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2000.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: XYZ

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Ed Sullivan, 1976.

Diagrams: Published in The Flapping Bird issue 25 in 1976.

 
  Name: The Omega Star

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Philip Shen, 1976.

Diagrams: Published in The Flapping Bird issue 25 in 1976.

 
  Name: Enigma Cube (6-part)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988.

Diagrams: In Paper Crystals - David Mitchell - Water Trade - ISBN 9780953477494.

 
  Name: 3-Way Joint

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules folded from 2x1 rectangles using standard folding geometry. The proportions of the design can easily be varied by folding the modules from 6x4 or 7x5 etc rectangles, or from a square divided into a 5x5, 6x6 or 7x7 etc grid and beginning by folding two opposite edges inwards to achieve the rectangle required.

Designer / Date: Natale Fietta, 1980s.

Diagrams: In the British Origami Society convention pack for Spring 1989.

 
  Name: The Semi-Star

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using mock platinum folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988.

Diagrams: In Paper Crystals - David Mitchell - Water Trade - ISBN 9780953477494.

 
  Name: Gaia

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

Diagrams: In Paper Crystals - David Mitchell - Water Trade - ISBN 9780953477494.

 
  Name: Four Cubes

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1995.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Omicron

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Designs of many different proportions are possible.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1990.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Upsilon

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Three separate methods of folding a suitable module are known.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1992.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The Icarus Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry:

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1998.

Diagrams: In Building with Butterflies - David Mitchell - Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-7-0.

 
  Name: Waterbomb Star

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Ethereal

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Each module is in the form of a nolid octahedron. The modules are gently twisted together inside the form to hold each other in place.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2003.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Rotating Ring of Six Tetrahedra

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from 2x1 rectangles using root 5 folding geometry.

Designer / Date:

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Combination Silverhedron 1

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1999.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Combination Silverhedron 2

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1999.

Diagrams: In Infinity 2005/3 24 - Tarquin Publications - ISSN 1748-3220 // On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Combination Silverhedron 3

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1999.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Pierced Icosahedron

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules folded from bronze rectangles using 60/30 degree folding geometry

Designer / Date: Tung Ken Lam

Diagrams:

 
  Name: Rhombic Hexahedron

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 Nick Robinson rhombic parallelogram modules in 2 mirror image sets from silver rectangles.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2004.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Skew Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 Nick Robinson rhombic parallelogram modules in 2 mirror image sets from silver rectangles.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2004.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Artifact

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver rectangles .

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1990.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Stellated Rhombic Dodecahedron (6-part)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver rectangles .

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: Darkstar

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver rectangles.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2002.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Rock and Roll - a modular passive play design in the form of six connected Twin Open Equilateral Prisms that will rock and roll its way down a gentle slope.

Paper shape / type: Square.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2020.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.