| Origami Heaven A paperfolding
paradise
The website of
writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell
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| 6-part
Modular Designs (Hexoids) |
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| Decorative variations of the
basic 6-part cubes on this page can be found on the Cubes page. |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Name: Odditty Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares
using standard folding geometry.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1998.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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Name: Nolid
Tetrahedron Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver
rectangles.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 1988 / Ian Harrison.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Name: Darkstar Modules / Paper
shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from silver
rectangles.
Designer /
Date: David Mitchell, 2002.
Diagrams:
Not yet available.
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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.
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