YNL

Folding, just keep folding. This is the beginning of my research. I'm fascinated by these incredible structures built by a piece of paper.
Folding is universal. Everything could be folded. But I did not pursue any complex origami figures, I'm focusing on folding itself. 
This is a study of a common item, paper. We could use paper to fold small animals when we were young, and wrap presents for families. However, the universality of origami makes my research difficult.

Origami is a solid fact. It's a real object, nothing spiritual nor metaphorical. I believe artwork or creativity come from fact. However, when I saw these origami works, I was confused. What is the fact about origami? Figures? Crease patterns? Materiality? Movement?...
I was terrified almost everyday to study something I can see but I can't see through. I was frightened by the power of fact. 

Keep folding and learning from it. (Reference: Folding Techniques for Designers)

Methodology [1]. ENUMERATION

By calculating and tracing various folding degree, I could document single movement and shade its covering area. It could be only applied to one or two stages of movements at once. 

Methodology [2] Control Variable

Firstly, I reduce the variable to one x, so that I could observe how other parts respond while x changing. Step by step, by relaxing the constraints and adding more variables, the new variable x' can lead to different results even though it shares the same function with x.

I built a model with thick material following crease pattern 7. By taking advantage of material thickness, it could generate stairs spontaneously. Thickness becomes the riser. Stairs could be a decoration on the wall or a divider when it is unfolded, then be folded back into stairs when necessary. It will be a space saver product.

It is impossible for a hinge to be folded or unfolded flat. So I started a study of hinge design. In model on the left, I pursue a flat unfolded surface, without any extrusion. But the large concave volume is unsatisfied.

Axis (the model above) supports the whole system in stairs model, thus, a high DOF sphere joint could be applied on both ends of the axes.

To shrink the volume of concave area, I referred the design of invisible hinge. Whiles details need to be further discussed, invisible hinge probably should be the best solution if a haredware joint is necessay.

Inspired by foamcore, I cast different kinds of materials in the center or near the surface of the plaster chunks. It won't be a perfect simulation of origami, but unlike the hardware, casting joint is more flexible and could be applied to various crease patterns. 

This is a periodical exhibition. Main concept of this exhibition is disappearing furniture. Unfolded like a piece of paper, those products' crease patterns become beautiful floor patterns. All the creases are etched into specific angle to fold. By following instruction, floor could be folded into seatings. 
In joint aspect, I chose adhersive acetates to replace fabric to be the crease material, fixed between one thin and on thick ultra light masonite boards. I believe there is a lot of room to reduce the product weight to be easier to play with.

Methodology [3] Detail Magnification

When analyzing a complex structure, I isolate a unit to simulate its tranformation. The unit could be a vertex, or a shared bar between two vertex. Method 1 and 2 are proper tools but the following question still remains: what kind of tool could build up a 3D model to reflect the accumulative results from previous studies? 

TO BE CONTINUED ... ...