Folding Techniques for Designers

Introduction

All designers fold.

That is, all designers crease, pleat, bend, hem, gather, knot, hinge, corrugate, drape, twist, furl, crumple, collapse, wrinkle, facet, curve or wrap two-dimensional sheets of material, and by these processes of folding, create three-dimensional objects. These objects will perhaps not be origami-like in appearance, or the folding may only be a detail, but most will nevertheless have been folded – wholly or in part – in some way. Since almost all objects are made from sheet materials (such as fabric, plastic, sheet metal or cardboard), or are fabricated from components used to make sheet forms (such as bricks – a brick wall is a sheet form), folding can be considered one of the most common of all design techniques. ...