CSE 325 Computer Science and Sculpture Prof. George Hart
Orderly Tangles One interesting transformation of a Platonic solid is to form an “orderly tangle” by rotating and translating the faces in a symmetric manner. This can provide the foundation for visually interesting sculptural forms.
Derivation from Regular Polyhedron Rotate faces Slide in or out
Regular Polylinks • Symmetric linkages of regular polygons • Alan Holden built models – Cardboard or dowels • Holden wrote: – Shapes, Spaces and Symmetry, 1971 – “Regular Polylinks”, 1980 – Orderly Tangles, 1983 • Table of lengths 4 Triangles
Generates Template to Print and Cut 4 Triangles
Robert J. Lang
Rinus Roelofs
Carlo Sequin
Regular Polylinks 4 Triangles Left and right hand forms 6 Squares
Wooden Puzzles • Taiwan – Teacher Lin – Sculptor Wu • Square cross sections • Simple lap joint • No glue • Trial and error to determine length 12 Pentagons
Second Puzzle from Lin and Wu 10 Triangles
Many Analogous Puzzles Possible • Each regular polylink gives a puzzle • Also can combine several together: – Different ones interweaved – Same one nested • Need critical dimensions to cut lengths • No closed-formulas for lengths • Wrote program to: – Determine dimensions – Output templates to print, cut, assemble – Output STL files for solid freeform fabrication
Carlo Sequin
Carlo Sequin Five rectangles — one axis of 5 -fold symmetry
Software Demo Soon to be available on class website
Combinations 4 Triangles + 6 Squares
Combinations 12 Pentagons + 10 Triangles
Models Difficult for Dowels 30 Squares around icosahedral 2 -fold axes
Other Polygon Forms 8 Triangles
Spiraling Polygons 10 layers, each 6 Squares
Charles Perry Eclipse, 1973, 35’ tall
Things too Complex to Make 10 Spirals connect opposite faces of icosahedron
Curved Components Central Inversion 4 Triangles 20 Triangles