Origami Heaven

A paperfolding paradise

The website of writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell

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Cubes
 
Traditional and Vintage Cubes
 
  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. See also Yakkosan Cube below.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares 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: The New Mystery Box

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules folded from 4x1 strips using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Adaptation of possibly traditional by David Mitchell, 1996.

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

 
  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 Simplex Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 24 L-shaped Simplex modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Cubes made from larger numbers of modules are also possible.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

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

 
The Sonobe Cube and variations
 
  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: Sonobe Eccentric Flash Motif Cubes

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules in three sets of different designs using standard folding geometry. This set of modules can be combined to create three symmetric cubes and fourteen different eccentric cubes (cubes in which no two faces are of identical pattern).

Designer / Date: Decorative Sonobe module variation by Kunihiko Kasahara, c1980s. Module set and eccentric cubes by David Mitchell, 1989.

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

 
  Name: The Corner-pocket Sonobe Cube

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

Designer / Date: Tomoko Fuse, 1980's. First published in Kunihiko Kasahara and Toshie Takahama's 'Origami for The Connoisseur' - Japan publications 1987 - ISBN 0-87040-670-1 (where the module is called the Tomoko Unit).

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 Decorative Skew Sonobe Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 Decorative 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.

 
The 12-part Sonobe Cube and variations
 
  Name: The 12-part Corner-pocket Sonobe Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Not known.

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

 
  Name: The Mondrian Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 Mondrian modules (assymetric corner-pocket Sonobe 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: The Cockeyed Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 8 Mondrian modules (assymetric corner-pocket Sonobe modules) in two sets of four of different proportions combined with four standard Corner-pocket Sonobe modules. All from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2017.

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

 
  Name: The Broken Star Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 Decorative 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.

 
The Paul Jackson Cube and variations
 
  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 Centre Stripe Cube - a decorative variation of the Paul Jackson Cube.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The Chequerboard Cube - a decorative variation of the Paul Jackson Cube.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

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

 
  Name: Iso Cubes - variations of the Paul Jackson Cube that can be assembled from the same set of modules.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: Single Diagonal Stripe Cubes - variations of the Paul Jackson Cube that can be assembled from the same set of modules.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: Double Diagonal Stripe Cubes - variations of the Paul Jackson Cube that can be assembled from the same set of compound modules.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 compound modules, each from two squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: Yin Yang Cubes - variations of the Paul Jackson Cube that can both be assembled from the same set of modules.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
The Letterbox Cube and variations
 
  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 Letterbox alpha 12-part Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 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 Letterbox beta 12-part Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 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 Letterbox 24-part Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 24 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 Letterbox Diagonal Diablo Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Letterbox Double Rotor Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Letterbox Tiled Diablo Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 Double Rotor Letterbox modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Letterbox Tiled Double Rotor Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 24 Double Rotor Letterbox modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Antithesis Cubes - cubes which can be reassembled as their antithesis without reconfiguring the modules.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The The Multicube - two regular cubes, an eccentric cube and other unusual cubes all from the same set of modules.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Phoenix Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 2 sets of 3 mirror-image triangle letterbox modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
The Darwin Cube and variations
 
  Name: The Darwin Cube - cube with four concealed flaps which can be brought into view individually and configured to create contrast patterns.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Cyclone Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Diablo Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Double Flash Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Eccentric Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Eccentric Flash Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Lightning Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Darwin Triple Motif Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Darwin Yin Yang Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
2-part, 3-part and 4-part Cubes
 
  Name: The Hosoya/Tsak-man Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 2 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Ho Tsak-man, c1974 / Haruo Hosoya, c1985.

Diagrams: Ho Tsak-man's cube can be found in The Flapping Bird issue 21 page 128, from 1974. Haruo Hosoya's cube can be found in Kunihiko Kasahara and Toshie Takahama's 'Origami for The Connoisseur' - Japan publications 1987 - ISBN 0-87040-670-1 (first published in Japanese in 1985).

 
  Name: The 2-part Cube.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 2 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2006.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The 3-part Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 3 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The Eureka Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 4 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1988.

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

 
  Name: Masu Cube - Cube made by combining four traditional Masu. An example of a Four Box Cuboid or Cube.

Paper shape / type: Square paper of any kind.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2005.

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

 
Puzzle Cubes
 
  Name: 2 into 1 - a modular assembly puzzle.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 4 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989.

Diagrams: Diagrams can be found in Paperfolding Puzzles (2nd Edition) - David Mitchell - Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-5-6.

 
  Name: Eccentricity - a modular assembly puzzle in which six assymetric modules must be assembled to produce an eccentric cube.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2002.

Diagrams: On-line diagrams, and one possible solution, are available on the Puzzles page of this site.

 
Minimalist Cubes
 
  Name: The 1-Fold Cube - a cube made from modules created in just two folds. It can be loosely constructed on a flat surface but is not sufficiently stable to be picked up. It is therefore more of a multiple-piece than a modular design, but I include it here for the sake of completeness.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 minimalist modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Kenneth Kawamura, 1977.

Diagrams: Diagrams were published in Kenneth Kawamura's booklet 'Meditations on a Waterbomb' in 1977.

 
  Name: The Two-Fold Cube - a stable cube made from modules created in just two folds.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 24 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: 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 are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.

 
  Name: The 3-Fold Paul Jackson Cube - a stable cube made from modules created in just three folds.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Modules identical to those of the Unconventional Cube.

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

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

 
Other Patterned Cubes
 
  Name: The Semi-Sonobe Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules from 2x1 rectangles using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2013.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Maverick Motley Cubes

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from squares using standard folding geometry. Maverick Motley designs are made by combining Maverick modules with Sonobe alpha and beta modules.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2015.

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

 
  Name: The Belted Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 5 modules, three of one kind and 2 of another, from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2015.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The Banded Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 6 modules from symmetric, asymmetric or doubly assymetric banded modules folded from various paper shapes.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001. Tomoko Fuse and Francis Ow have produced similar designs.

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

 
  Name: The Diagonally Banded Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules from symmetric, asymmetric or doubly assymetric banded modules folded from various paper shapes.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Doubly Banded Cube aka the Packing Case Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 24 modules from symmetric, asymmetric or doubly assymetric banded modules folded from various paper shapes.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Twisted Square Cube

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 1989. Subsequently, in October 1990, Francis Ow sent me a copy of his privately published book on Modular Origami which also contains diagrams for this cube under the title Cube 3. I do not know which of us has priority.

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

 
  Name: The Broken Square Cube - a variation of the Photo Frame Cube.

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

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
  Name: The Jazz Cube also has faces which carry a broken square pattern. It can be seen as a skew version of the Playing Card Cube. The volume of the cube is large in relation to the size of the paper used to fold the modules.

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

Designer / Date: Paul Jackson, 1982. Possibly also independently designed by Kunihiko Kasahara.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: The Whirlpool Cube

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 12 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2001.

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

 
Novelty Cubes
 
  Name: The Yakkosan Cube is a version of the Playing Card Cube in which each face has been filled with a Yakkosan insert.

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: Each Yakkosam is folded from a square using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2018.

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