Modular origami is a very convenient origami for people who like to mindlessly fold multiple simple models since you can combine and take apart the pieces later on in many different ways. Here I'm going to introduce you to the wonder of my favorite unit by Paolo Bascetta, it's a very sturdy unit due to the way pieces interlock and requires no glue whatsoever. Even massive structures of 500+ pieces can stand on their own. I would suggest around 5cmx5cm paper (2inchx2inch) you can get this by cutting post it notes(without adhesive) into 4 parts or cutting A4 in a square and then cutting the square into 16 pieces. This is my diagram on how to make the units but I'll add a video from where I learned it in case my instructions are not clear enough: bascetta star
- 1: Fold in both halves
- 2: Fold 2 opposite corners towards the center and turn around
- 3: Fold opposite edges towards the middle lines and turn over again
- 4: This is what the other side should look like
- 5: Tuck the small corners and fold where the lines are drawn, it's where the middle edges end, turn over again
- 6: Fold the corners over
- 7: Fold in half
- 8: Unfold last two steps as shown
- 9: Now you have a unit with a tab and a pocket, you connect 3 pieces and keep adding in this manner till you make a model you want
- 10: this is how you interlock three units
Now the best part starts :D you make geometric shapes like playing with magnetic block toys.
Here are some examples:
- 1: This one's made of 6 piece and is a tetrahedron
- 2: This one is a cube shape from 12 pieces
- 3: This one is a dodecahedron from 30 pieces
- 4: this is a bucky ball structure from 90 pieces
The important point to pay attention to is the number of angles in between, 1. has 3 in all directions, 2. has 4, 3 has 5. The point is for bigger models you play around with structures of 5 and 6, 5 corners close down the model while 6 corners open it. For example number 4 is pentagons surrounded by hexagons and all pentagon tips are adjacent to another pentagon, the fifth ball has a slightly different pattern and more pieces, the centers of pentagons are parallel with a hexagon gap in between, sixth ball is more similar to number 4 but there's another gap between the pentagons.
Here are the first 4 shapes as point and line drawings to help explain the idea:
I really love working with these units and have been playing around with disassembling and assembling pieces all day for more than 12 hours. Here's an 800+ unit model:
I really hope you try making some and if you need help just ask. Good luck.
Here's an extra image of all the stars at the top disassembled:
