Tag Archives: origami

Origami-inspired table concept folds into a lamp to save space

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Tables are important pieces of furniture in any human space, whether it’s the dining table at home or a meeting table at the office. That said, we don’t always use these flat horizontal surfaces all the time, and there will be times when they’re just taking up precious space. Yes, more aesthetic tables do provide some visual value, but it doesn’t outweigh the cost of their presence. Foldable tables are practical, but few actually look good even when unfolded and the hassle of moving the folded table out of the way makes them less compelling. But what if you didn’t need to put the table away because it not only becomes more compact but also serves a different purpose? That’s the kind of multi-functional design that this concept proposes, turning a table into a lamp.

Designer: Sonakshi Gupta

The Japanese art of folding paper has inspired many designs because of its beauty, simplicity, and space efficiency. A large and flat sheet of paper can suddenly become a geometric flower or swan with a few folds, significantly reducing the area that the piece of paper once occupied. This art doesn’t involve removing or adding parts, which makes each piece an independent and standalone unit.

LightUP is a concept that takes inspiration from origami and kirigami (which does involve cutting away and gluing pieces together) to design a table that not only saves space but also provides a completely different functionality or two. The squarish wooden tabletop folds up into a shape that’s like a flower bud, freeing up the space around the table for use. Thanks to ingenious invisible hinges, not only do you have a clean and flat table surface but moving only one or two corners is enough to fold and unfold the table. The easier you can perform this action, the more frequently you’re willing to do it.

Of course, that’s not where it all ends. The design’s name comes from the fact that wide LED light strips from the pyramidal base of the table to each of the four corners. Thus, the table becomes a room-wide lamp at night but can also remain as a space-saving art object when the lights are off.

Admittedly, the design’s implementation is actually more complicated than it looks thanks to the moving parts and hinges involved. Those may become points of failure over time due to wear and tear. The idea, however, could give birth to a simpler design, one that takes into account aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability altogether for a truly space-saving piece of furniture.

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Origami-inspired Bluetooth mouse turns a mundane device into a fashion statement

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As odd and unnatural as the computer mouse might be, it has become the standard input device second only to the keyboard. For decades, however, the design of the mouse has changed very little except when modified in the name of ergonomics. There has been a recent spate of concepts that try to breathe new life into mouse design, but many of those remain in the conceptual realm only. This peculiar design almost looks like one of those, but it’s surprisingly a product you can really get your hands on, figuratively and literally. It’s definitely unlike any Bluetooth mouse you’ve ever laid eyes on because when it’s not in use, it can fold so perfectly flat that you can even slip it into your pocket and make it look like a part of your fashionable attire.

Designer: Horace Lam

We’ve actually seen quite a few mice that can fold or lay completely flat, but few have ever made it into production because of the surprising complexity of mouse design. Origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, might be great for paper, but not for something that needs to withstand the wear and tear of daily use, not to mention being carried around in bags or even pockets. That’s the rather impressive feat that the myAir.0 OriMouse claims to have achieved, offering a wireless mouse that is flat, functional, and fashionable.

In its flat and deactivated state, the OriMouse has a “V” shape with a faceted surface. Covered in vegan leather or textile, it doesn’t even look anything like a mouse. Weighing only 40g and less than 5mm thin, it looks and feels more like an art object that you carry in your pocket or in your bag. But with a simple pinching gesture that joins the two divergent ends together, the OriMouse rises to the occasion, literally, to become an essential tool for productivity.

Using the same principles that give origami designs innate stability, this foldable mouse can withstand a lot of pressure from your hand without buckling from the weight. At the same time, however, a simple push at a specific and strategic spot disengages the two neodymium magnets and collapses the structure back to its flat state. In addition to this shape-shifting trick, the OriMouse promises a more ergonomic design thanks to the polygonal structure inspired by the folds and facets of an origami object.

Although the various options available make use of textured materials to give the mouse an even more tactile experience, the OriMouse’s foldable design also lends itself perfectly to more artistic expressions. In fact, one model even has a graffiti graphic printed on its surface, and it’s not hard to imagine branding opportunities for such a design. Granted, the actual ergonomics of such a mouse will probably be a matter of debate, but if you are looking for a highly portable Bluetooth mouse, it won’t hurt to take a hard look at something that’s also so unique and beautiful that you will easily become the envy of the crowd around you.

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This origami-inspired Apple MagSafe grip stand folds out of your way when you don’t need it

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Today’s smartphones come with large screens to give space for more content, stylish designs that make them stand out, and price tags that can sometimes make you want to cry. All of these translate to devices that can accidentally fall or slip from our hands, crashing on the floor, and sending us into a panic. In response to protective cases that add bulk and remove elegance from phones, accessories like grips and rings have come up to help avoid accidents while minimizing their negative visual impact. Unfortunately, these solutions ironically make the situation worse because of their awkward design. What we need is an accessory that gives plenty of confidence when holding a phone, has enough features to make it worth its price, and still leaves your phone looking posh all the time. Fortunately, there is a product that is able to meet all three, thanks to the Japanese art of paper folding.

Designer: Marcy Arimoto

Click Here to Buy Now: $40 $45 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, Apple Event sales end in 24 hours!

Creating a three-dimensional object from a flat sheet of paper has enchanted people around the world for centuries. Taking inspiration from this ancient art, designs across many industries try to do the reverse, creating a structure that is able to fold flat and vice versa without the hassle of disassembly and reassembly. It’s a technique that saves space and reduces unnecessary parts, and it’s put to good use in the beak mag grip stand for iPhones.

Stand

At first glance, this accessory looks nothing more than a thin, card-sized block that sticks to the back of the phone. And exactly because of how thin it is, you can easily slip your phone into your pocket without worrying about the beak mag snagging on anything or making an awkward protrusion. It won’t separate from your phone either, no matter how much you jump or how much it juggles inside.

Attach

The strong MagSafe connection can handle a load of 500g, and it’s even strong enough to actually keep the phone up when you stick it to a refrigerator, a magnetic mount, or even a car door.

Grip

Of course, the real value of this grip stand is revealed when you lift up its top and pinch its two sides together. It might look like a simple stand, but that hole in the middle becomes a gateway for your finger, allowing you to hold the phone securely with comfort and confidence. And since it’s using magnets instead of adhesives, you can easily set it up for vertical or horizontal positions. And when you’re ready to get going again, simply fold the grip down again to have it virtually disappear.

beak mag isn’t just functional, though. It is also durable and, more importantly, aesthetic. The water-resistant cover dries up quickly so you won’t be left with a gross feeling if and when accidents occur. The material is also a pleasure to touch, and the grip stand’s sharp looks fit the iPhone’s own premium appearance perfectly. With this origami-inspired MagSafe-compatible grip stand, you can forget about those awkward and unflattering rings and stands, and hold your iPhone with confidence, both for its safety as well as its style.

Click Here to Buy Now: $40 $45 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, Apple Event sales end in 24 hours!

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Intricate Origami Meets Welded Car Parts In This Artwork That Challenges The Excess Of Desire In Society

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The earthquake and the consecutive tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, and destroyed the coastline, resulting in numerous deaths and bulldozing the country’s infrastructure was also a major catalyst for Keita Miyazaki’s artistic journey. The artist was a firsthand witness to the destructive face of nature, and he watched as the monstrous waves left hundreds of Japanese citizens homeless, and many others dead. He watched as access to necessities was halted, and realized how heavily dependent the Western world was on materials goods, wealth, and progress. And, how helpless humans became when such supplies were snatched away from them! As he questioned the basis on which the Western world measures its progress and evolution, the ‘Excess of Desire’ exhibition took birth.

Designer: Keita Miyazaki

Excess of Desire is Miyazaki’s solo exhibition at Gallery Rosenfield. The collection includes eccentric and eclectic sculptures that seem to be growing oddly from the ground, or sprouting abruptly from pedestals. Miyazaki intertwines intricate and precise origami with heavy metal components to experiment and explore the dual nature of robustness and fragility, heaviness and lightness, the decorative and the utilization. He tries to draw a parallel between the contrast of these two natures, and how wholly different they are. The ends of the metal pipes are adorned with colorful fans and intricately folded papers which are an intriguing contrast to the car parts that are a reference to the 20th century automotive boom and advancing technology.

Miyazaki artfully welded together parts of mufflers and engines that are no longer functional, to create an interesting interplay between functionality and decay. He specifically picked parts such as specialized mufflers that were manufactured illegally in the 1980s and 1990s, and were quite popular back then as they increased a car’s noise level, and emitted a specifically desired sound. Through the ever-growing botanical-like forms that have an almost otherworldly appeal to them, Miyazaki attempts to question the frugality and frivolity of the excessive wealth found in society today, which after a point in time becomes obsolete and redundant.

One of Miyazaki’s pieces was added to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Japanese collection, and one of his floor works will be showcased at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green. The exhibition remains on view till September 30th, check it out if you get the chance!

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Origami Expert Folds A Single Piece of Paper To Create These Detailed & Expressive Face Portraits

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João Charrua is a Portugal-based artist whose Instagram bio reads ‘I fold paper’. And it’s true, he does simply fold paper, but he folds it into these sinister yet beautiful faces that seem to hold the weight of secrets worth a hundred years. Charrua holds a deep fascination for masks, and he believes that a mask “intrinsically carries an energy with which we identify in some way”. He believes them to be portals to our imagination, carriers of mysterious and magical energy, and this is the energy he attempted to recreate in his intricately folded and precisely crafted paper portraits!

Designer: João Charrua

Charrua creates expressive and detailed human faces from single sheets of paper, crafting and adorning them with delicate noses, angular jawlines, cavernous eyes, and solid eyebrows. He models these darkly serene human faces through carefully planned and meticulous folds. Charrua deep-dived into the world of origami around thirteen years ago, when he was trying to find a common interest to share with his daughter. “Origami requires rational and sequential thought, where each fold goes to form part of the whole, and they all have to come together to produce the final result,” he said. His newfound love for origami encouraged him to research contemporary practitioners and was thoroughly impressed by the level of detail and patience one could grow to possess, if they truly invested in the art.

Charrua’s process is quite thorough and painstaking as well. He usually makes sketches or three-dimensional drafts, where he visualizes specific features and works on the initial prototype models before beginning to create the final model. He says, “I believe that by repeating the process many times, certain gestures, folds, or techniques become routine acts, so that a natural creative process develops, underlain by the subconscious.” The bulk of the work is done way before the first fragment of the final model comes into existence. Through intense trial and terror, he finally concludes on a face that he believes is worthy of turning into a precisely rendered portrait.

Charrua’s portraits aren’t really smiling ever, in fact, they always have a slight frown or a sense of sadness on their faces, which lends a stronger air of elegance and beauty to their overall persona or could be the secret to their visual appeal. You can check out more of Charrua’s work on his Instagram.

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This charming origami-inspired cube brings both light and power anywhere you need them

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Daytime isn’t the only time you can enjoy the freedom that summer brings. The night can also be a source of adventure, fun, or even relaxation, especially when experienced outdoors and away from your usual abode. Staying outdoors at night, however, can bring up a few anxieties, not least of which is having a convenient light source or, more importantly, a power source for your indispensable gadgets. That often means lugging along some lantern or lamp in addition to a power bank, two things you need to be mindful of and two things you could potentially lose. Consider your worries now calmed with an innovative and sustainable travel companion that will illuminate your darkest nights, save your dying phone, and even protect you from mosquitoes!

Designer: Alice Chun

Click Here to Buy Now: $38 $65 (42% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left!

MEGAPUFF is easy to open and goes flat pack with a quick twist! The origami design is simple and elegant.

They say that looks can be deceiving, and the MEGAPUFF definitely lives up to that aphorism, but in a very good way. At first glance, the white box looks like a simple yet beautiful paper lantern, not so different from traditional lanterns used in Japanese festivals, except perhaps for its cubical shape. The MEGAPUFF is, of course, quite literally a lantern, but that’s just the proverbial tip of the iceberg of what this is capable of. Because despite its minimalist appearance, it packs quite a lot of features that will make any activity more memorable, day or night, indoor or outdoor, no matter the season.

MEGAPUFF is both a portable lantern and power bank and unlike other combination products, it makes no compromises on either. A 4,000 mAh battery delivers all the power you need to charge up your mobile device through a USB-C port or deliver sufficient light to let you see in the dark of night or the darkness of your room. MEGAPUFF can be juiced up via the same USB-C connection, or you can charge it under the sun, providing you with a sustainable way to enjoy the conveniences of modern life, wherever you might be.

Seven light settings.

The light that MEGAPUFF provides is nothing to scoff at either, reaching a maximum of 300 lumens at its brightest. You won’t blind yourself, of course, especially with seven different settings for different light temperatures and intensities, including warm or bright, low or high, or a combination of both. There’s also a blinking red light setting that you won’t find in any portable lamp. This unexpected feature helps keep you safe in the dark, whether you’re riding a bike or signaling for an emergency. Red light therapy is also cited to help treat anxiety, depression, and PTSD, but it seems to have the opposite effect on mosquitoes and drives these bloodsuckers away instead.

Best of all, MEGAPUFF won’t take up much space in your car or camping gear. Thanks to origami technology, the 6.2×6.2 inch cube collapses down to a 0.75-inch high flat-packed square with a simple twisting motion. You don’t even have to turn the light off before collapsing or expanding the lantern, making it trivial to pack up or set up in a flash. This transforming cube is made from durable and eco-friendly sail cloth, leaving you with no worries about the product’s longevity or its effects on the environment. Whether you’re enjoying the great outdoors or lounging indoors, the MEGAPUFF collapsible lamp and battery will give you both light and power so that you can stop fretting and start enjoying your time.

Click Here to Buy Now: $38 $65 (42% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left!

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Seat and relax anywhere with this Origami-inspired foldable chair and ottoman

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Although we have settled down in cities and residential areas, we have ironically become a little bit more nomadic these days in terms of our lifestyles. Not only is travel a staple of daily life, we also often find ourselves sitting down somewhere, either to rest or to resume work. Unfortunately, you won’t find seats everywhere, let alone ergonomic ones that will let you sit in comfort. There might even be instances where you don’t have enough chairs at home to accommodate unexpected but welcome guests. In times like those, a foldable chair would be a practical solution, and this rather unconventional design offers not only a space saving-seat but also a piece of furniture that you can conveniently carry anywhere, like a foldable umbrella.

Designer: Yunonglive Studio

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 $99 (30% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $80,000.

Instantly deploys.

Perhaps more than other kinds of furniture, seats like chairs, stools, and ottomans have to be extra stable in order to safely support people sitting on them. The requirements of stability and comfort are often expressed in terms of rigidity and at the cost of flexibility. That is why you’ll rarely find foldable chairs that check all the right boxes, making the Foldable Lander a wonder of design and engineering. Inspired by the lightweight and compact design of the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander as well as the material integrity of Origami techniques, this foldable chair and foldable table/ottoman offer a unique and convenient way to take a seat anywhere, whether it’s for fun or for work.

When in its collapsed form, the Foldable Lander looks almost like a slightly bulky foldable umbrella. Thanks to that design and its light 1.3 kg (2.8 lbs) weight, it is possible to carry the chair with you anywhere or stash it in a bag or in the car for longer travel times. In just 5 seconds, however, that folded structure deploys into a low chair or an ottoman that can double as a low table, and it takes half a minute only to fold it back again so that you can quickly dash to your next destination.

It’s that transforming design that makes the Foldable Lander an ideal companion anywhere you go, whether it’s to relax outdoors or to quickly drop down for a brief period of work. In fact, Foldable Lander is also ideal for living spaces where there’s not enough room for permanent chairs. You can bring the Chair and Ottoman pair anywhere you go and have a lounge or work area ready in just seconds.

What makes the Foldable Lander even more special is a design that focuses not only on functionality but also on aesthetics and sustainability. The materials used, like Aviation Aluminum and 900D Oxford Cloth, are durable and environment-friendly. From the sandblasted matte texture to the intricate machine embroidery to the specialized mold textures, each step of the Foldable Lander’s production process demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship and acute attention to detail. For only $99, the Foldable Lander Chair or Table/Ottoman delivers a well-designed and ingenious foldable piece of furniture that will let you sit down and enjoy life wherever it takes you, whether in the great outdoors or even just outside your balcony.

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 $99 (30% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $80,000.

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This textured wall clock uses dynamic shadows that make its appearance change as the day passes

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Sundial, meet the modern analog clock!

Inspired originally by how shifting shadows were used to tell the time back in the ancient days, Sasha Torgova’s “Wall Clock” uses a unique textured clock face to emulate the same phenomenon. Place the clock on a wall that receives daylight and the clock’s face changes as the sun rises or sets. Sure, the hands on the clock tell the time, but the dynamic shadows on the clock’s face tell a story of timekeeping too!

Designer: Sasha Torgova

The clock’s texture is directly informed by Sasha’s love for Origami and industrial design. It’s the perfect melting pot of sorts, as the wall clock uses a bit of both. The texture on it was first arrived by experiments with folding paper, before Sasha decided to cast the final clock face out of concrete. The texture has more depth towards the edges, and is shallower towards the center, allowing the hands to move around unencumbered. “When natural light changes, the perception of the clock changes as well following the difference in shadows from the voluminous surface of the dial”, said Sasha.

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Origami-inspired Prefab Pod with a folding design makes it easy to set up instant refugee shelters

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Originally designed as a modular pod for luxury getaways, Hariri & Hariri Architecture’s prefab folding structure is now proving to be an incredibly cost and labor-effective solution to ongoing refugee crises caused by political unrest and climate change. The prefabricated structure ships as a flat-packed unit and can be opened out and assembled in mere minutes with just a crane and minimal manual labor, allowing you to set up instant refugee shelters anywhere.

Conceptually, the pod’s unique folding structure is inspired by Origami. It’s designed to fold flat when not in use and can be shipped as a set of flat palettes stacked together and assembled on-site. When assembled, the walls open outwards and lock into a hexagonal shape, making the pod’s structure geometrically stable and modular.

Designers: Hariri and Hariri Architecture

Iranian architects Gisue and Mojgan Hariri designed the prefab pod based on their own experience of losing their home. The compact pods have an area of 500 sq.ft., making them modestly sized for a family of 3-4. The single-story pods can also be linked together to create larger living units.

The prefab pod comes pre-hinged and can be set up without any tools. The panels on the pod are made from Equitone (a fiber-based cement) to create a robust yet lightweight structure, while large glass windows let abundant light in, eliminating the need for electric lighting during the day. Open areas in the structure also promote natural ventilation.

Harari & Harari Architecture emphasize the versatile nature of the pod by pointing out how it can simultaneously be used as “a refugee or disaster shelter, a woods or beach cabin, assembled into clusters for large music or sports events, and even into a single luxury home.”

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Foldable Origami Cup can transform into a flat disc, making it easier to carry with you

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Designed on the principles of Origami, the Uphold Cup is a foldable, portable, reusable travel cup that goes from a tumbler to a flat-packed disc when not in use. The cup’s materials are food-grade, BPA-free, and can carry beverages of up to 100°C in temperature. The Uphold Cup uses polymer Polypropylene (PP) as its body material which is relatively stiff, while also providing the ability to fold multiple times (live hinging) without breaking.

Designers: Eric Tong and Hannah Morris for Uphold

The Uphold Cup ticks two important boxes with its redesign – reusability and compactness. Made as a rejection of the single-use culture, the cup can be used over and over again, thanks to its food-grade design that’s also easy to clean. Each Uphold comes with an air-tight lid to secure the contents of the container, and both the cup and lid can be washed and reused for years.

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