Surface Area

Given 8x4x4 rectangular prism, we were asked to increase the surface area but 200%. As I sketched ideas, I realized I was interested the creating more surface area through the implied area from the negative space. I learned how you could add without adding phyical material. Previously I had had the mindset of creating more by adding more; however, experimenting and sketching models of ideas that expanded without the addition of more material led me to the concept of "subtraction by addition". So I started to cut and fold bristol, taking away the excess and maximizing the space.

                                                   [study models]

[final model]

In my final model, I decided to use triangles to maxmize the space and fold every other in opposite directions for negative and positive space. In theory, the cut and triangle pieces created triangular prisms. I found it difficult to equally space out the triangles with the right proportions within a 4x4x8 layout on bristol but after a lot of math, I figured it out. I left the rest of the bristol paper attached to the model because I felt that it provided balance for the condensed and complex structure.


[photo credits to Thomas Bueche]