I’ve been fascinated with the crazy interlocking shape models that Byriah Loper has been designing for years now.
You may have heard of the Five Interlocking Tetrahedra model before. It’s pretty popular, here’s a video showing its assembly.
I’ve tried a couple of times to put this together but I can never get the 5th one to fit in properly. If you want to try folding this model yourself you can follow the video or check out the original instructions here.
Byriah Loper’s models are on another whole level from this.
His models are already amazing but if you’re into math at all then you’ll probably enjoy these even more.
These are my top 20 favourite photos of his work. All models are designed and folded by Byriah Loper.
If you’re interested in learning more about the design and math behind these models click through to the original image on Flickr and check out the description.
“Growing Rhombi” (Level 5) Three Interlocking Octahedrically Distorted Octahedra
Instructions available from Byriah Loper’s Flickr
Five Interlocking Deconstructed Octahedra
Instructions available from Byriah Loper’s Flickr
Twelve Interlocking Decagonal Stars + Twelve Interlocking Pentakaidecagonal Stars
Instructions not available
“Lanterns” Six Interlocking Irregular Monotruncated Octahedra
Instructions available from Byriah Loper’s Flickr
Three Interlocking Irregular Hyperboloidal Parabitruncated Gyrobifastigia
Instructions not available
Five Interlocking Irregular Hyperboloidal Dodecaugmanted Cuboctahedra v.2
Instructions available from Byriah Loper’s Flickr
This next model is the most complex and time-consuming one he’s designed. It took 6 months to design this shape without using a computer!
“Galaxy” Fifteen Interlocking Wrinkled Octahedra v.6
Instructions not available
Five Interlocking Irregular Hyperboloidal Dodecaugmented Cuboctahedra
Instructions available from Byriah Loper’s Flickr
Five Interlocking Irregular Hyperboloidal Rhombic Dodecahedra
Instructions not available
“Event Horizon” Twenty Interlocking Irregular Augmented Tetrahedra (Byriah Loper)
Instructions available in Mind-Blowing Modular Origami: The Art of Polyhedral Paper Folding
This next creation took almost 40 hours to fold and assemble out of 150 units!
Ten Interlocking Irregular Hyperboloidal Triaugmented Omnitruncated Digonal Dihedra
Instructions available from Byriah Loper’s Flickr
“K5” Twenty Interlocking Tetrahedra v.2
Instructions available in Mind-Blowing Modular Origami: The Art of Polyhedral Paper Folding
Twenty Interlocking Irregular Tetrahedra
Instructions not available
Four Interlocking Irregular Triaugmented Quasidiminished Hexahedra
Instructions not available
Five Interlocking Irregular Tetragonaly Twisted Triakis Tetrahedra v.2
Instructions available from Byriah Loper’s Flickr
“K7” Twenty Interlocking Snub Digonal Dihedra
Instructions not available
This incredible creation is folded out of 180 units!
Fifteen Interlocking Wrinkled Rhombic Prisms
Instructions not available
Eight Interlocking Tetrahedra #4
Instructions not available
Thirty Interlocking Triangles
Instructions not available
This last model might be my favourite one. It’s folded and assembled from 120 units and reminds me of a Borg cube from Star Trek.
Thirty Interlocking Squares
Instructions not available
If you want to see more you can check out Byriah Loper’s Flickr account.
He also has a book that’s available on Amazon if you’re feeling adventurous and you want to try folding some very difficult models.
