Note: This is a post originally published on December 22, 2019 on my old site. It has been reposted here for archival purposes.
If a modular origami construction is a book of fiction, then it is an anthology of tales, not a novel.
Each of its modular origami units is like a short story. First off, each component is relatively quick to be completed on its own. For instance, I only need a minute or two to fold a single piece of my one of my favorite modular origami units, the sonobe module.
They can also be interpreted as self-contained “stand-alones”. No unit serves as another unit’s foundation; a crumpled unit does not necessarily a sloppy second unit make. In short: The properties of one unit I folded has no direct impact on the next one I make.
As a consequence, they are, in my opinion, noteworthy in their practicality. I do not need to check on my last progress before taking another step. I have no need for planning ahead. Each unit can be and is to be enjoyed on its own, in their own small pockets of time.
When traveling, I rarely have the time for long stretches of concentration (i.e., opportunity to mentally escape the real, physical world — there are train announcements to look out for, etc.) some other activities e.g. reading books require. But modular origami units? One of them is much less demanding on its own. I can just simply sit down, pull out a piece of paper from my wallet, spend two minutes folding guided by my memory, tuck back the result into my wallet, and forget about it. And repeat.
And repeat.
(The repetitive nature is a feature, not a bug. It is relaxing. And it makes modular origami an ideal low maintenance hobby.)
(Source: my PixelFed)
And so they are analogous to short stories (and less so to the chapters of a novel). And yet, even though each of them can already stand on their own[1], they can also be combined and arranged and linked with others to make a synergy of a longer, bigger story.
A nice way to challenge yourself and spend two consecutive hours or three.[2]
A grander project.
(Source: my PixelFed)
Footnotes
[1]: I do not, however, know anybody who folds modular origami units with the intention of treating them as standalones.
[2]: My ego insisted that I make a disclaimer that it was not the icosahedron of sonobe modules pictured that I would need more than an hour of assembly time for.