| Origami Heaven A paperfolding
paradise
The website of
writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell
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| Traditional
and Vintage Cubes |
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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. 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.
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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: 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.
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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 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.
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| The
Sonobe Cube and variations |
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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: 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.
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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.
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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 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.
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| The
12-part Sonobe Cube and variations |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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| The
Paul Jackson Cube and variations |
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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
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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| The
Letterbox Cube and variations |
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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 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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| The
Darwin Cube and variations |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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| 2-part,
3-part and 4-part Cubes |
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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| Puzzle
Cubes |
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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.
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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.
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| Minimalist
Cubes |
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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.
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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.
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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 are available on the Modular Designs page of this site.
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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.
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| Other
Patterned Cubes |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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| Novelty
Cubes |
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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.
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