Curved Crease Folding

The history of curved crease folding goes back to as early as the Bauhaus, where a student had scored circular creases onto a paper in order to study its materiality. When a circular surface is folded along concentric rings, the resultant form bends on itself and forms a paraboloid in order to make up for the loss in circumference. Initial investigation involved the replication of such system and multiplying the modules which are then interlocked into each other to create various origami sculptures.

The system is then digitally simulated in order to extract the parameters which may affect the resultant geometry of the surface. With a combination of Kangaroo Physics, Hinge Forces and Springs, the digital simulation is created which allows anchor points to be placed, thus dragging for surface into various forms. Tests are carried out on different surfaces, including a closed circle of equal concentric rings, a closed circle of increasing concentric rings as well as an open circular strip with concentric rings. With an increasing fold angle, the bend angle increases.

Upon cutting the closed circle, the surface becomes an open ended circular strip. The constraints that follow a closed surface no longer presents itself, thus allowing the strip to bend freely – although the principles of the system still applies. With increasing fold angles, the strip bends at greater angle. Having this revelation, different open ended strips are then tested against different parameters to extract the system further.

In parallel to the research of curved crease folding is the investigation into the probability of transferring the system onto a more rigid, larger material, such as plywood. Here lattice hinge / kerf folds are employed, allowing the plywood to bend in a similar manner to card and paper. The final patterns for the hinges are a result of rigorous testing through trial and error. By repeating the modules we begin to see that, due to the folds, plywood can be as flexible as card.

System Development: Spidron

First developed in 1979 by Dániel Erdély the Spidron is created by recursively dividing a 2-dimensional hexagon into triangles, forming a pattern that consists of one equilateral followed by one isosceles triangle. The resulting form is of six Spidron legs that, when folded along their edges, deform to create a 3-dimensional Spidron.

Initial investigations into the Spidron system using paper resulted in irregular shapes that could not be predicted, and therefore replicated precisely. Progressing onto using rigid materials allowed the system to be broken down into six components, removing unnecessary triangulated fold lines, and developing latch folded Spidron that is precisely the same as that formed parametrically.

This relationship between parametric and physical tests of component based Spidrons in both regular and irregular hexagons, as well as various other equal-sided shapes, has enabled the development of large scale models concluding thus far in a 1:2 scale version being built which will continue to be developed as a pavilion for submission to the Burning Man festival.

In parallel there has been an investigation into the system at a smaller scale allowing for the Spidron nest to be made as one component. In order to achieve the 3-dimensional Spidron form lattice hinges, also known as kerf folds, have been employed. Rigorous testing into the best cutting pattern have resulted in a straight line cutting pattern that allows for bending on multiple axis at once.

Developing this smaller scale system for submission to Buro Happold the intention is to create an arrayed system that is a conglomeration of both regular and irregular spidrons with varying depths and apertures that are able to integrate various display models etc. within.