Origami Heaven

A paperfolding paradise

The website of writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell

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Three Stage Modular Designs
 
Modular designs are normally two stage designs where the modules are first folded, then assembled into the final form. However, in a few exceptional cases the development of the form continues after the modules have been put together. I call these three stage modular designs.

Three stage modular designs should be distinguished from action modular designs, where the design is complete after the normal two stages but the modules will move in relation to each other, deformable modular designs, where the design is complete after the normal two stages but the whole assembly is deformable and macro-modular designs where the third stage is one of assembly of complete macro-modules into a larger structure.

 
 
 
  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: Omega Star (12-part) - developed from the 12-part XYZ in exactly the same way as the original 6-part Omega Star was developed from the original 6-part XYZ.

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

Designer / Date: Independently discovered by at least Robert Neale, Michael Naughton and David Mitchell in the late 1980s. I do not know who has creative priority.

Diagrams: In Paper Crystals (2nd Edition) - Water Trade - ISBN 978-0-9534774-9-4.

 
  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: 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: Star Decorative Ball

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: 30 modules from squares using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: Hachiro Kamata, 1980s.

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

 
  Name: Cloud of Stars (version 3)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: From 60 Semi-Sonobe modules folded from 2x1 rectangles using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2013.

Diagrams: Not yet available.

 
  Name: Celestial (version 3)

Modules / Paper shape / Folding geometry: From 60 Semi-Sonobe modules folded from 2x1 rectangles using standard folding geometry.

Designer / Date: David Mitchell, 2013.

Diagrams: Not yet available.