On origami, and why STEM and arts belong together

STEAM is the future of STEM, as origami reveals.

Elise ZiYuan Wang

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EduCreate

14 min readDec 20, 2023

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It’s a quietly tense January afternoon at York University’s Scott Library. I’ve just finished a package design class with professor Albert Ng, feeling challenged and inspired (as always). I pull out my laptop and a handful of printer paper. My assignment today? To learn and replicate a dozen origami folds.

The fold patterns I attempted from a textbook ranged from simple to puzzling. I had no idea how any of this can be applied to my next packaging project. Nonetheless, the tactile fun I had that day made for one of the most memorable study sessions of my university career.

Fast forward to 2023: I pass by the forgotten magazine aisle at a Toronto Public library when a single National Geographic issue catches my eye. An unfurling orange apparatus adorns the cover, titled The Future is Folded. I instinctively flip to the feature story, hungry to learn more. What I found was a thrilling re-ignition of a spark from that January afternoon.

One of my biggest pain points in university was the near-impossibility of enrolling in substantial courses outside of my design field. There were designated honours electives, yes, but those were custom-built for my ‘non-technical’ major and limited in depth and scope. The subjects I really wanted to learn, which mattered a lot for good design — psychology & cognitive science, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics — were for various reasons systematically restricted to non-majors.

History and intuition tells me that the best ideas come from wandering outside one’s supposed domain. A majority of humanity’s luminaries—Leonardo Da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Hedy Lamarr, Maya Angelo, Steve Jobs, to name a few—were polymaths or ‘Renaissance Souls’ whose cross-disciplinary passions combined into game-changing pursuits. Each of these individuals were actively engaged in some form of art, and unsurprisingly so; there is much wisdom and inspiration to be found in the arts for the sciences, and vice versa. Allow me to use origami as an example, and take you on a brief rabbit hole through its past, present and future.

Comprised of the words oru (to fold) and kami (paper), origami (aka orikata) is known today as the art of recreational paper folding. A mathematical and metamorphic art, origami embodies the Japanese concept of shibui (understated beauty) and reveals the immense creative potential of a simple sheet of paper.

A brief history of origami*

*Note: This is an attempt to highlight origami history based on my personal research; it is in no way comprehensive. Please contact me about any significant errors or omissions.

Origami’s roots can be traced to a time before paper, with cloth and leather folding practices around the world. After paper-making was introduced to Japan around the sixth century, the Japanese were considered the first to popularize paper folding as an artistic medium. Paper folding began in Shinto rituals as shide (sacred streamers) and was later stylized as ceremonial decor (girei origami) for weddings and gifts by the Imperial court of the Heian period. Ceremonial origami was established as etiquette by the upper samurai class of the Muromachi period, and can still be found in Japan today.

A flatlay of modern origami table decoration, reminiscent of the ceremonial etiquette of the Muromachi upper samurai class. — Modern orikata, echoing the ceremonial etiquette of the Muromachi upper samurai class. (Source: Kagamiru)

1797 • Gidō: Hiden Senbazuru Orikata

The ‘play’ paper folding we know as origami today (yūgi origami) began around the Sengoku period. One of the first technical books on play origami, titled Hiden Senbazuru Orikata (The Secret of One Thousand Cranes Paperfolding) was published in 1797 by the Buddhist monk Gidō and contained 49 increasingly complex interlinked crane models accompanied by poetry. As you see below, there was a wide process gap between the diagrammed crease pattern and the finished product.

A page from Gidō’s Hiden Senbazuru Orikata, featuring one of 49 interlinked paper crane diagrams. — One of the 49 interlinked paper crane diagrams in Gidō’s *Hiden Senbazuru Orikata. (Source:* David Mitchell’s *Origami Heaven*)

1840 • Friedrich Fröbel: Origami in Early Education

In 1840, German pedagogue and paper folding advocate Friedrich Fröbel invented the modern kindergarten. Informed by Swiss educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746–1827), Fröbel saw that children have unique needs and abilities and thrive on hands-on play for learning. Thus, the first kindergarten involved song, dance, free play with Froebel Gifts (Fröbel’s educational toys which were an early influence on Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, and an inspiration for the Bauhaus movement), and Fröbel’s system of educational paper folding. Soon after Japan opened its borders in the 1860’s, Fröbel’s kindergarten system took root and origami returned in the form of bi-coloured squares to Japan’s early kindergartens.

An illustrated step-by-step excerpt of Fröbel’s Folds of Life, an early educational paper folding system. — Fröbel’s Folds of Life, part of his educational paper folding system. *(Source:* *Origami Heaven*)

1920’s • Josef Albers: Origami in the Bauhaus

Josef Albers, the father of modern colour theory and minimalist art, taught experimental paper folding in the 1920’s and 30’s at the Bauhaus school of design. Albers’ approach involved pleating and tessellating sheets of round paper into sculptural forms. Several mathematical forms such as the hyperbolic paraboloid were first seen among Albers’ student projects at the Bauhaus.

A photo of Josef Albers and his students gathered around innovative paper folding projects at the Bauhaus. — A project review session in Albers’ Volkurs course at the Bauhaus. Photo by Erich Consemüller. *(Source:* *Origami Heaven*)

A book page featuring an origami hyperbolic paraboloid, reflection tessellations and other student creations from Albers’ Bauhaus course. From the book ’Bauhaus: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago’ by Hans M. Wingler. — A hyperbolic paraboloid, reflection tessellations and other student creations from Albers’ Bauhaus course. Published in ‘Bauhaus: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago’ by Hans M. Wingler. (Source: Origami Heaven)

1954 • Akira Yoshizawa: Origami Notation System

Self-taught “grandmaster of origami” Akira Yoshizawa (1911–2005) solidified the craft’s global potential by creating the basis of the 1954 Yoshizawa–Randlett notation system: a user-friendly diagramming method now used as the international standard.

Among Yoshizawa’s origami innovations is the wet-folding technique. Mastering the effects of humidity on various papers created possibilities of organic curvatures and elevated geometric origami into a ‘living art’.

A step-by-step process illustration of a paper crane, diagrammed using the Yoshizawa-Randlett notation system. — Tsuru (crane) diagram, via the Yoshizawa-Randlett notation system. (Source: Wikipedia)

1958 • Lillian Oppenheimer: Origami in the English Language

Lillian Oppenheimer (1898–1992) was a New York-based origami hobbyist and pioneer. After reading Paper Magic (1956) by magician Robert Harbin, Oppenheimer fell in love with origami. She began corresponding with prominent practitioners such as Yoshizawa and Ligia Montoya and co-teaching origami via a society dubbed the Origami Centre. With her passion and charismatic advocacy, the word ‘origami’ entered the American mainstream via the New York Times in 1958 and became the official English term for recreational paper folding.

The 1958 New York Times clip, featuring the fateful article that brought Lillian Oppenheimer and origami into the American spotlight. — The fateful New York Times column that brought Oppenheimer and origami into the American spotlight. (Source: Origami Heaven)

Oppenheimer’s meetings with Japanese origami practitioners brought the Western idea of the origami society — a place where members share and interact on equal terms, rather than on a master-and-pupil basis—to Japan. In 1967, the Sosaku Origami 67 (“creative origami”) society was formed and served as an influential catalyst for exploring new ideas in Japanese origami. Around the time of Oppenheimer’s death, origami societies were established in about 30 countries. Origamist Nick Robinson postulated that origami became an organized international discipline thanks to the combined efforts of Yoshizawa in Japan, Robert Harbin and folklorist Gershon Legman in Europe, and Oppenheimer in the United States.

1980– • Tomoko Fuse: Unit Origami

A self-taught prodigy who pushed origami to the cutting edge is Tomoko Fuse, master of unit (modular) origami. Fuse found an affinity with the craft as a child and in 1980 began experimenting with modular origami using multiple folded sheets of paper. Fuse’s results were mathematically beautiful and surreal, ahead of her time. Her career, exhibitions and books inspired a new generation of art purveyors and origami hobbyists alike and ushered modular origami into mainstream culture.

A photo of an accordion-like modular spiral origami design by Tomoko Fuse. — An accordion-like modular spiral design by Tomoko Fuse. (Source: Tomoko Fuse’s Origami Art: Works by a Modern Master)

1990's– • Thomas Hull: Origami Math

Thomas Hull is an Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics with a keen interest in both the theory and practice of mathematical origami. In the 1990’s, Hull began publishing research on origami math which helped generate academic interest in the craft. Hull’s most popular origami inventions include the Pentagon-Hexagon Zig-Zag unit and the Five Intersecting Tetrahedra model. His latest book, titled Origametry: Mathematical Methods in Paper Folding is the most comprehensive reference on origami mathematics to date.

The cover of Thomas Hull’s Origametry, featuring his Five Intersecting Tetrahedra model. — Cover of Hull’s Origametry, featuring his Five Intersecting Tetrahedra model. (Source: Origametry)

2008– • Erik Demaine: Computational Origami

A colleague of Hull’s, MIT professor in Computer Science and former child prodigy Erik Demaine holds a fascination for the mathematical wonders of origami. Together with his father Martin Demaine, Eric developed a mathematically pleated ‘curved-crease’ origami model that effectively folds itself. In 2008, the 3-part sculpture titled “Computational Origami” appeared in MoMA’s Design and the Elastic Mind exhibit, now in permanent collection.

A photo of Erik and Martin Demaine’s early curved-crease origami sculpture, titled “Natural Cycles”. — “Natural Cycles,” a curved-crease origami sculpture by Erik and Martin Demaine. (Source: MIT News)

Erik teaches an MIT graduate course on the intersection of origami, design and mathematics with applications in architecture, robotics, manufacturing and biology. The rest of this article will briefly explore some of these intersections :)

There are many more individuals I encountered in the history of origami, a few of whom I’ll mention for time’s sake: Toshie Takahama, Kunihiko Kasahara, Robert Neale, Kōryō Miura, Heinz Strobl, Robart J. Lang. Many were polymaths, and each contributed uniquely to the chain of events that transformed an ancient craft into a ubiquitous creative practice.

Origami, today

Origami continues to evolve and appear in surprising new places, thanks to brilliant minds across disparate domains.

2006– • Natural sciences: DNA Origami

Origami entered popular science in 2006 when Nature published an article on DNA origami — applying the ‘bottom-up’ fabrication method to long-strand DNA as a programmable building block for self-assembling two-dimensional shapes. In 2011, researchers from Arizona State University took DNA origami into the three-dimensional realm, leveraging DNA as a scaffold to design self-assembling nanostructures for electrical and mechanical engineering. By applying principles of folding and modular design to DNA, a new pathway to high-efficiency fabrication in nanotechnology came to be.

A 4-by-4 image grid depicting 4 DNA origami shapes from design to execution. — The first examples of the DNA Origami technique, from design to execution. (Source: Thomas Tørring via ResearchGate)

2010’s • Packaging: ‘Sustainable Expanding Bowl’

One of the most obvious applications, product packaging that leverages origami techniques are more flexible, use less material and adhesives and are themselves a work of tactile art. The principles of paper folding have liberated industrial designers from previous physical constraints and led to optimally space-efficient and sustainable packaging solutions, such as this unfurling takeout container by Swedish experimental design studio Tomorrow Machine.

A GIF of the Sustainable Expanding Bowl, a self-unfurling takeout container by Tomorrow Machine. — The Sustainable Expanding Bowl by Tomorrow Machine. (Source: Yellowtrace)

2012 • Architecture: Al Bahar Towers façade

In the sweltering capital of the United Arab Emirates, architects and engineers worked closely to combine the Arabic art of mashrabiya (lattice screens) with triangular origami folds to create the beautifully kinetic, energy-efficient Al Bahar Towers façade.

A 3D rendering of the Al Bahar Towers façade by Anna Dimitrieva — Al Bahar Towers 3D modelling by Anna Dimitrieva (Source: Behance)

The computer-controlled triangular screens are arranged geometrically around the sun-facing sides of the two towers, programmed to unfurl and contract like umbrellas over the glass windows. Each triangular screen folds like origami with a moving fulcrum supported by a tri-arm frame. This design strikes a balance between heat protection and visibility, permitting natural light while reducing building air conditioning needs by 50%.

A GIF of a CNN video showing how the facade contracts to let in natural light. — Short demonstration of the contracting screens (CNN)

2012 • Watersports: Oru Kayak

Anton Willis applied the concept of the origami boat to his game-changing folding kayak startup. With models as light as 8kg and as versatile as the convertible tandem, Willis changed the way newbies and seasoned adventurers alike traversed waters around the world.

A photo of an Oru Kayak in folded and expanded form. — The Bay ST model in folded and expanded form. (Source: Oru Kayak)

2015 • Structural Engineering: Zippered tube

Based on astrophysicist and origamist Kōryō Miura’s flat-folding technique called Miura-ori, researchers from Georgia Tech, the University of Illinois, and the University of Tokyo created a “zippered tube” design that enables paper tubes to hold substantial weight, yet fold flat. The name comes from the prototype’s precisely cut, zigzag strips of paper glued together to form stiff tubes. This concept can be executed with other materials for endless possible applications: offsite civil engineering, emergency bridge deployment, furniture, and microscopic robots to start.

A photo of researchers Glaucio Paulino and Evgueni Filipov holding a large prototype of their zippered tube concept. — Researchers Glaucio Paulino and Evgueni Filipov show a large prototype of their ‘zippered tube’ concept. (Credit: Rob Felt, Georgia Tech)

2016– • Robotics: Micro-robots

In 2016, researchers from MIT, the University of Sheffield, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology demonstrated a digestible, accordion-shaped origami robot that can be ingested via an ice capsule and unfold to deliver targeted medicine or repair. Designed through a process of mainly “trial and error”, the robots are made of the same intestine encasing as sausage and hold tiny neodymium magnets enabling remote control.

In 2020, researchers at the University of Michigan leveraged origami behavioural rules to maximize the capability of shape-shifting robots under a centimeter in size. These micro-robots are manipulated by heating and cooling their embedded gold-and-polymer actuators, with the breakthrough ability to fold 90 degrees or more at 80 times per second.

Also in 2020, Professor Itai Cohen’s team at Cornell University demonstrated the next generation of origami robots: nano-robots with microcircuit brains built with semiconductor fabrication tools, and folding bodies made of materials such as the world’s thinnest paper (graphene, 1 carbon atom thick). These microscopic mechanical creatures are powered by light. Cohen’s team envisions a future where armies of nano-robots can be employed en masse to mimic cilia, “clean blood vessels, help grow replacement tissues or probe large swathes of the human brain”.

A microscopic image of OptoBot, the 2020 Guinness World Records smallest walking robot measuring 40–70 x 40 x 5 μm. — OptoBot is the 2020 Guinness World Records smallest walking robot, measuring 40–70 x 40 x 5 μm. (Source: CMM Magazine)

2016– • Metamaterials: 3D Shapeshifter

Inspired by Heinz Strobl’s modular origami concept of ‘snapology’, scientists at Harvard devised a sturdy, shape-shifting 3D metamaterial that flattens with weight and auto-expands with no damage or outside force required. The prototype consists of thin strips of paper woven together via connecting strands to create a “rigid yet flexible, multi-faceted structure”. Such a material could be adapted into quick-assemble shelters for disaster relief, or self-opening walls.

“We’re trying to come up with new types of material that don’t get their properties from its chemistry, but from their shape, their internal geometry,” says contributor & associate professor Johannes Overvelde (emphasis mine).

An isometric photo of the 3D shapeshifter prototype. — *The 3D shapeshifter prototype (Source: Johannes T. B. Overvelde, Bertoldi Lab/Harvard SEAS*)

2016– • Aerospace engineering: Starshade

The use of origami in engineering was largely driven by space exploration. While an intern, polymath Robert Salazar’s origami background informed his work on the NASA Starshade—an unfurling flower-like device designed to help block light from stars (starlight suppression) in order to better photograph their orbiting exoplanets.

A photo of a partially-expanded prototype of the NASA Starshade with people around it. — A partially-expanded prototype of the NASA Starshade. (Source: NASA)

A relatively new source of inspiration for the engineering team at NASA, flat-folding origami techniques are resolving the problem of size efficiency at launch. The ultra-flexible, space-saving properties of origami may one day enable a manned mission to Mars.

2019 • Soft Robotics: “Origami magic ball” soft gripper

In 2019, researchers from MIT & Harvard came to a breakthrough on a longstanding robotics dilemma: how can a robot hand be as gentle and flexible as it is strong? The answer came in the form of a magic ball, a whimsical origami model designed by Yuri Shumakov. Combining the model’s curved tessellated folds with vacuums and 3D printing enabled the creation of a suction-powered, cone-shaped robot hand that expands and collapses to pick up objects up to 100 times its weight, and down to a broccoli floret. This brilliantly economical design can be easily scaled and adapted for specific use cases, and further enhanced with computer vision for precision gripping.

A dual photo of a robot vacuum gripper picking up an apple. — An origami gripper in action. (Source: MIT News)

Origami has helped to solve some fundamental bottlenecks in science and engineering, and empowered life-changing innovations. On the reverse, I would need another article to describe the mesmerizing, fluid new art forms born from the arts marrying the sciences. I believe this is just the beginning; I hope origami’s influence on STEM will pave the way for many more STEAM epiphanies to come.

When I think of STEAM, I think of former RISD president and polymath John Maeda. In a 2012 TED Talk, Maeda demonstrated with his own career the immense innovative potential of leaders who embrace the creative process. In light of recent advancements in generative AI, my sincere hope is that we will preserve a love for human creativity and the arts & humanities in future generations.

I believe there is still much to be discovered at the intersections of the arts, social sciences, STEM and business. This is why one of my life’s aspirations is to become a polymath — so that one day I may help bridge disparate domains and combine perspectives to find new ways of seeing and addressing the systemic issues of our world.

Ideally education should nurture talent in the classroom and create well-rounded individuals akin to the great thinkers of the Renaissance. That is, individuals who are able to pursue multiple fields of research and appreciate both the aesthetic and the structural/scientific connections between mathematics, arts, and the sciences.
— Sriraman, B. & Dahl Søndergaard, B., On Bringing Interdisciplinary Ideas to Gifted Education (International Handbook on Giftedness)

By the way, what is origami inspired by?
Stay tuned for the next learning adventure 🐛🌸