Credits and Resources
Text-Only Instructions - Copyright 2025 by Lindy van der Merwe
accessorigami.com
Instructions with visuals in pdf format by David Mitchell can be found at the following link:
Columbus Cube or Tower
Since the Columbus Cube could be considered a variation of the Jackson Cube, it is suggested that you be familiar with how to fold and assemble the Jackson Cube before attempting this variation.
So, if you find yourself struggling with the assembly of this cube, first fold the Jackson Cube from the following link:
MOD20 - JACKSON CUBE by Paul Jackson
Paper to be used: 6-18 squares of similar size; use large paper to practice with at first.
Each cube requires 6 squares.
Thicker paper or thin card stock is strongly recommended.
Folding level: Easy/Beginner to Intermediate
Steps: 19
Description:
The model is a three-dimensional closed six-sided cube or dice, with one of its corners inverted, meaning that a small indent is formed on one corner of the cube, making it possible for it to actually stand on this corner.
It is created by folding 6 very simple units and then modifying 3 of the units in order to form THE indented corner.
The cube is smooth on the outside and although the model itself might seem not to be that sturdy, it holds well together and will withstand light use, especially if folded from thicker paper.
One of the great things you can do with this cube, is to build a tower, by placing the indented corner of one cube so it rests on top of the point of the one below it.
Phase 6 below will explain how to place 3 cubes on top of each other to construct a Columbus Tower.
If you would like to, you can add more cubes to the tower to make a fun game or an interesting activity.
You can also use joining pieces to create walls and forests, which is not covered in this tutorial, but is explained in the pdf listed above.
PHASE 1: CREATING THE UNIT
If using two-sided origami paper, lay your paper with the patterned or colored side down before starting to fold.
Step 1
Place a square down with its edges to the left and right, top and bottom.
Step 2
Fold the left edge over to meet the right edge to form a vertical center crease line.
Crease and unfold.
Step 3
Now fold the left and right edges in to meet the vertical center crease line.
Crease and leave folded.
You will have a rectangle that looks like a tall cupboard with its doors closed.
Step 4
Next, fold the top edge of the rectangle down to meet the bottom, but try to only make a light crease or pinch only on the sides.
Unfold so you have the rectangle again.
Step 5
Now fold the top and bottom edges up and down so they meet each other along the horizontal center at the light crease or pinch you made in the previous step.
This completes the basic folded unit.
Step 6
The finished unit will have a central square area with two rectangular flaps sticking out on opposite sides.
For now, place the unit so the central square with the smooth side is facing the table with the two flaps in an upright position or facing the ceiling.
Set aside.
PHASE 2: FOLD MORE SIMILAR UNITS
Repeat steps 1 to 6 5 more times so you have 6 similarly shaped units to work with.
Divide the units into 2 groups of 3.
Set the first 3, which we will call Group A, aside for now.
PHASE 3: MODIFYING A UNIT
Step 7
Take one unit of the 3 you want to modify and place it so the central square with the smooth side is facing the table with the two flaps in an upright position or facing the ceiling.
Rotate the unit so that the 2 flaps are on the left and right.
Step 8
Unfold and press the left rectangular flap open to the left so it lies flat on your folding surface.
Important: When making the next fold, crease only the top half of the triangle that will be formed.
Step 9
Gently take the top left corner of the unit, all the layers, and bring it diagonally all the way down and to the right so the left edge will meet the bottom edge of the shape.
Crease just the top half of the triangle that has formed.
Your aim with the bottom half of the triangle is to form a little block or two-walled structure.
So, for the first wall, push the edge of the triangle nearest you upright, away from you, so it can stand at a 90 degree angle.
At the same time, to form the second wall, gently coax the left side of the triangle towards the right until it stands upright.
Result: The left side of your modified unit should have a flat triangle at the side furthest away from you, while the bottom half will be a 3D block shape consisting of 2 walls that form the bottom left corner of the shape.
The right side of the unit will remain unchanged, still standing upright.
To make sure your unit has been formed correctly, check if you have the following:
On the right, a long wall on its own; furthest away, a flat triangle; nearest you, a flat square with a half wall on two of its sides.
PHASE 4: FOLD MORE SIMILAR UNITS
Repeat steps 7 to 9 2 more times so you have 3 modified units, which will be called Group B.
PHASE 5: ASSEMBLING YOUR MODEL
Step 10
Explanation:
As mentioned above, this model is Based on the Jackson Cube. So, while we have 3 modified units that will form the 'indented' corner for this cube, the method of assembly will be similar to that of the Jackson Cube.
First look at the 3 units of Group A.
In the instructions that follow, you will be working with, on the one hand, the central square and, on the other, what we have termed the two flaps of each unit.
All the loose flaps of the units should stand up at a 90 degree angle to the central square, since this is how your cube will be formed into a three-dimensional shape.
Keep in mind that each central square will make up a face of the cube. So, when assembling the model, remember that the central squares should always be on the outside with the flaps facing inwards toward the inside of the model.
For Group A, both flaps of each unit will look identical. We will call these flaps the 'large flaps'.
For Group B, each unit will have a 'large flap' on one side and on the other side, there will be what looks like a 3D block with a flat triangle just behind it.
We will call this side of the units the 'small flap".
The small, flat triangle that has formed just behind the 'small flap' will be called the 'flat triangle'.
To make things just a little easier, place the units of Group A to your left and those of Group B to your right.
Step 11
Placement:
It is important to orient each unit exactly as directed. Also, do not turn your model while assembling it as the placement of each unit is described in detail and in order.
11.1 Make sure all 6 units are placed with their smooth, central squares facing the table and their flaps pointing up in the air. Once this has been done, while keeping them face down, set one modified unit from Group B aside for the moment and move the remaining 5 units into a cross formation in front of you on a table as follows:
11.2 Place a unit of Group A at the center, mentally naming it as unit 1 or the bottom panel of your cube. Bottom here refers to the side of the dice that is facing the table.
Important: The 'large flaps' of unit 1 should be at the top and bottom.
11.3 Then place another unit from Group A on the left, mentally numbering it unit 2, followed by a third unit, taken from Group B, on the right of the first unit, mentally numbering it unit 3.
So, you will have three units in a row now, numbered 2 on the left, 1 at the center and 3 on the right.
Important: Turn unit 2 so its flaps are on the left and right and make sure unit 3, which is a modified unit, has its 'small flap' on the left and its 'large flap' on the right. The 'flat triangle' will be on the top left of the unit.
11.4 Then place another unit from Group A nearest you, below the central unit, mentally numbering it unit 4, followed by a fifth unit, taken from Group B, furthest away from you, mentally numbering it unit 5.
Important: Turn unit 4 so its flaps are on the left and right and make sure unit 5, which is a modified unit, has its 'small flap' on the right and its 'large flap' on the left. The 'flat triangle' will be on the bottom right of the unit.
11.5
Explanation
Your cross formation will now be complete with the 3 units from left to right and the two you have just added at the top and bottom of unit 1, the central unit.
All will still be with their central squares flat on the table and with the loose flaps arranged as described above.
Now think of your cube as a box with 6 sides. Consider that unit 1 is the panel touching the table, unit 2 and 3 will form the left and right sides of your cube. Units 4 and 5 will form the back and front and the 6th unit will form the top or lid of the cube.
This will make sense as you do the assembly explained below. Basically, the sequence will be to place unit 1 on the table, then add units 2 and 3 to the sides, followed by units 4 and 5 at the back and front and last, unit 6 will form the top or lid of the cube.
Step 12
Assembly
12.1 Start with unit 1 The square part of the model will lie flat while the flaps will point towards the ceiling.
Hold it in place or place something heavy, the heavy helper, down on top of the central square to keep the paper in place.
The 'large flaps' should be at the top and bottom of the central square.
12 .2 Take unit 2, on the left and tilt it over to the right, placing its right flap onto the central square of unit 1, but let it cover only half of the central square.
Lift the heavy helper only on the left when you do this; then let it down so it can keep the paper in place for you.
Unit 2 is now upright, like a wall. Its bottom flap is lying flat on unit 1 and its top flap is hanging in the air. You can bend it a little away from the central square for the moment.
12.3 Take unit 3, on the right and tilt it over to the left, placing its left flap onto the central square of unit 1, but let it cover only half of the central square.
In this case, the 'small flap' of unit 3 will slot in on top of unit 1, forming a kind of block on the right, nearest you. The flat triangle will be on the right, furthest away from you.
Lift the heavy helper only on the right when you do this; then let it down so it can keep the paper in place for you.
Unit 3 is now upright, like a wall. Its bottom 'small flap' is lying flat on unit 1 and its top flap is hanging in the air. You can bend it a little away from the central square for the moment.
You will now have 3 sides or squares loosely in place, namely the bottom, left and right panels of the cube with the helper securing them at the bottom.
Step 13
Take unit 4 that will form the back panel of the cube. Tilt it toward you and slide it in from the side furthest away from you with the flaps on the inside of the two walls you have already formed.
The 'small flap' will slide in on top of unit 1 and the back unit will come to rest and be stopped against the flap of the central square.
You can, at this point, gently fold the left and right flaps that are hanging in the air over the flaps of unit 4 to keep it more or less in place. It won't be very secure yet, but it should help you along.
Alternatively, you can place something heavy and solid against the back of unit 4 to hold it in place.
The second small corner will overlap and slot together with the first on the inside of the cube.
Step 14
Insert unit 5, which will be an unmodified unit, from the side nearest you in the same way, also sliding its flaps on the inside of the side walls.
The unit will come to rest against the flap of the first, central unit as well.
Unit 5 will also slide in underneath the left and right flaps mentioned in previous steps, so your cube will have more structure now.
Step 15
It is now time to gently press the sides of the cube together so the panels will rest snug against each other.
Pay special attention to the indented corner, making sure the 'small flaps fit together snugly and that all faces of the cube are smooth with all the flaps on the inside of the model.
This is also the time to place something inside the cube if you would like to use it as a container.
Step 16
Pick up the last modified unit and turn it so the 'large flap' is nearest you and the 'small flap' furthest away from you, on the right.
Once you have it oriented, tuck the flaps in on the inside of the cube, under the left and right flaps that are already there.
Start with the flap nearest you and then work with the flap furthest away from you. Don't worry too much about where the flaps of this last unit go. As long as it is tucked or slid in securely to the inside of the cube, all should hold together now. If your cube seems not to want to close, it is likely that the flaps on the inside are preventing this, so you can try to gently insert a finger and push the flaps against the inside of the cube, making it possible for the last two flaps to find space to slip inside.
Try to keep the rest of the panels in place as you do this last step.
Once done, you will find the amazing Columbus Cube is perfectly formed with an indent on one of its corners.
PHASE 6: CONSTRUCTING A COLUMBUS TOWER
Step 17
Complete 2 or more Columbus Cube models.
Step 18
Place the first one so it is balancing on the indented corner.
Since the corner is quite small and the cube large in relation to it, it might seem that it will not balance. Just place it down gently until you can feel that it remains stationery at an angle.
One of the points will be higher than all others.
You can gently hold the first cube in place while placing a second cube in the same orientation, on top of the first, with the indentation resting atop the point of the first cube.
You might have to turn the model very slightly until you can feel the 2 units slot in place.
The second cube will only balance if it is turned so that its indentation fits perfectly on top of the point of the unit below it.
Step 19
Continue to build a tower with 3 or more units.
This may be quite difficult since you now have to hold 2 or more units steady while placing a third, etc.
Three units already make a beautiful piece that is fascinating to look at. If you carefully bring both hands from the sides, you should be able to touch the tower in its standing state.
The small indentations are not visible and the angle at which the cubes are balancing atop each other is impressive indeed.
Making origami accessible through text-BASED TUTORIALS.
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled by Lindy van der Merwe - August 2024
Revised, February 2025
This text copyright 2025 by accessorigami.com
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