Origami—The Art of Folding Paper & Architecture

IMAGINE a single piece of paper transformed into a beautiful, three-dimensional crane. Its wings are proudly extended, and rising from the bird’s graceful body is a long slender neck, crowned by an elegant head and a distinctive beak. Amazingly, this crane is created by folding a square piece of paper in a precise 12-step process.

The making of a stunning array of shapes by folding, opening, and bending a flat piece of paper is a Japanese art form called origami. The term itself means “folded paper.” Although its origins are not clearly known, origami in Japan can be traced back to ancient times when formal documents were elaborately folded. It is thought that during the Edo period (1603-1867), origami developed as a form of leisure activity that anyone could enjoy. It was then that new techniques of folding were developed. This art has been handed down from one generation to another as parents have taught their children and grandchildren. Many Japanese fondly recall that as children they would stare in astonishment while their mother nimbly folded paper, creating delightful objects for them.

Based on the shapes created, there are basically two classifications of origami. One is called traditional origami, which involves forming paper cranes, frogs, boats, balloons, insects, and plants. The other is called creative origami, which departs from the traditional techniques that have been used for centuries. Large dinosaurs, elaborate insects, and other intricate designs are created in this type of origami.

In modern times a number of professional fields, such as architecture, have applied the principles of origami in the design of a wide variety of functional products. Origami has also been used by health providers as an effective rehabilitation exercise for the elderly and the handicapped.___PLL

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