Digital Fabrication: Parallel Pleat Forms

October 26, 2011
by admin
  • ParallelPleats_01

As part of a four person team, I have been exploring parallel pleats to create forms that will aggregate into a “big” self standing structure.  This class, taught by Maciej Kaczynski, is linked to generative computing (taught by Glen Wilcox).  Some previous blog posts look at the work being done in that class.  Our team has been looking at parallel pleats to create hyperbolic paraboloids (aka Hypar, although Dr. Demaine at MIT has written a paper on the true nature of these forms) that will vary in size and/or shape to aggregate into this self standing structure.  Cameron Stewart, one of the team members, put together this (beautifully made) presentation of the models we designed and created as test studies.  Since the previous week we had heavily focused on general forms and plastic options, we decided to look more specific at the form options available from parallel pleats of octagons and by shared edges.  We were able to see some interesting patterns such as an octagon being able to fold into a volume bound by a cube, and pushed further into a tetrahedron.

Parallel Pleat Plastic Folding

Parallel Pleat Plastic Folding

Parallel Pleat Plastic Folding

Parallel Pleat Aggregate Structure

Parallel Pleat Architecture Aggregate Structure

Parallel Pleat Structure Aggregate Architecture

Parallel Pleat Plastic Folding

Parallel Pleat Plastic Aggregate Architectural Structure

Parallel Pleat Plastic Aggregate Architectural Structure

Parallel Pleat Plastic Aggregate Architectural Structure

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