Introduction

Coming from a Taiwanese background, our traditional culture shares a similar appreciation for origami as seen in Japan. While the concept of origami is familiar to me, this expertise course has broadened my understanding. Exploring the extent of origami mechanisms and delving into paper folding techniques have opened my eyes to unlimited possible shapes, textures, and practical applications.

Exploring Origami

Origami, a traditional Japanese handicraft, is the art of paper folding. The principle of this art form is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques. Through this folding process, origami can convert three-dimensional, space-consuming objects into portable sizes based on different conditions.

At the beginning of the course, we were introduced to various aspects of origami applications and research. With its application in mechanisms and engineering, origami can elevate the field of science. Examples abound in nature, such as flowers before they blossom, or the wings of a bat or ladybug. It is also evident in mechanical and scientific applications, such as airbags in cars or the wings of solar arrays.

One significant application where science and origami intersect is in the design of foldable spacecraft. The origami technique enables a remarkable reduction in space during launch into outer space.

At the end of this section, we fold a classic windmill origami, which we also often do in school in Taiwan.

First Attempts

Going through plenty of origami designs, two types, in particular, stand out to me. The first is folding three-dimensional patterns on a plane and the second is folding sphere origami with aperture.

Origami Design with Aperture Structures - Origami Sphere with 8 Flaps:

 I took references online and tried to design the pattern in Illustrator and cut it out with a laser cutter on a sheet of tracing paper. I was able to try folding the sphere precisely and efficiently in this way.

Cutting the pattern with the laser cutter machine.

How does the pattern work?

In the first picture, we can see multiple mountain and valley lines, which create creases that fold the spaces in between curves, turning the pattern into a three-dimensional sphere. Simultaneously, the aperture of the 3D object is created as we fold the flaps together.

The outcome with tracing paper material wasn't ideal because the paper was too soft and fragile, causing it not to hold the structure, and the edges broke.

Three-dimensional patterns on a plane:

I tried patterns designed by Jun Mitani (三谷 純, professor in University of Tsukuba). The polygon and 3D structure are folded and laid out on a flat surface, it is possible to connect different structures shapes by matching the widths.

In this design, two types of 3D structures are connected: two cubes and two pyramids.

It was not easy to create a clean crease between the structures and the flat surface because the connected structures had to fold underneath from both sides. The material chosen was also not the best option. While it was easy to create creases, it was also too soft to adequately support the structures.

Origami with Aperture

After failing to try the sphere with 8 flaps on tracing paper due to its fragility and inability to hold the structure, I decided to test it with thicker weight paper material (190gsm).

With the same pattern, but instead of using the laser cutter, I tried pen plotters then cut and folded it by hand.

Folding with Different Materials and Working with Pen Plotter

Because of the thickness of the paper, it was able to hold the structure on its own.

What I learned during this phase:

After some research and comparisons of patterns, we discovered that the reason why the outline of the curves was not as smooth as I wished to achieve was due to the angle and the space between each curve not being in the right dimension.

1. In this sphere case, the space between each curve should be wider, allowing enough space to be folded underneath.
2. The curves are not a perfect circle; they are pointier at the peak of the shape, allowing the crease to form the circular shape in a three-dimensional structure.

Origami Form Design

After finding the right material and getting to know the proper strength of the laser cutter for the outline and folding creases (mountain and valley), I started to experiment different forms with different aperture type.

Different apertures examples:

Input from the Instructors

In the middle of the expertise week, we were also very fortunate to have several instructors share their insights and the possibilities they saw in our projects and ideas.

Design Tool

ORI-REVO: A Design Tool for 3D Origami of Revolution
Jun Mitani (三谷 純). The origami artworks created by him have features that are three-dimensional shapes with smooth curved surfaces. His main books are „3D Origami Art“ and „Curved Origami Design“.

Professor Mitani developed ORI-REVO, a software that enables people to design origami using various folding techniques, while the software generates the folded outcome of the pattern.

Brief introduction of ORI-REVO.

On the left-hand side:

• Edit the principle folding styles grid system.
• Available design examples from Professor Mitani.
• Smoothing option; which creates multiple anchor points letting the curves appear much smoother.

In the middle :

• Grid for users to design their pattern design.

On the right-hand side:

• Real-time generated folded 3D origami based on users' pattern design on the grid.
• Mountain and valley patterns based on selected options and pattern design on the grid.

Final Design

Design Concept

Throughout the design and folding process, the forms and patterns reminded me of my home city, Kaohsiung, located on the southern coast of Taiwan. I drew inspiration mainly from sea shells and the surging waves of the ocean. The curves and apertures formed by these origami pieces reflect the creativity of Mother Nature, mirroring the uniqueness of rocks, shells, and sand in terms of size, color, and shape. My design approach also incorporated patterns from magnified grains of star sands. The fascinating variations in textures and patterns contribute to a visually striking yet diverse presentation, and origami is an interesting way to simplify forms and present them in a novel way.

Close-Up Look at Some Origami Designs

Personal Reflection

This course has been a rewarding journey into the world of origami. Throughout the process of researching, designing, and folding origami with my hands, I discovered the board possibilities within the origami folding technique and how society has benefited from this form of art.

From the moment we started creating origami, we quickly realized that it is much more complex than we initially expected. Designers need to consider various critical points when creating origami pieces. Materials, designed patterns, folding techniques, and folding styles are all equally important for successfully bringing the envisioned 3D structure to life.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience getting a peek into the vast world of origami, using machines such as the laser cutter and pen plotter, designing with a variety of materials, and, last but not least, bringing our unique origami designs to life with our hands.

This course has revealed to me how a simple craft can open countless doors, from everyday objects like product packages to scientific applications like microneedle devices. The concept of origami has introduced me to a new way of thinking, and I am excited to apply this knowledge and experience to my future design projects and beyond.