Folding Frank

Marc Hagan-Guirey, a kirigami paper artist, has collected fourteen Wright buildings in Frank Lloyd Wright Paper Models, published next month by Laurence King. Unlike origami, which is limited to folding, kirigami also includes cuts to the sheet of paper. The book comes with instructions on the technique, some background on each building, and drawings of them on 135 lb (200 gsm) stock, just the right weight for cutting and folding. The sheets come with some cuts, such as windows, already done, but there are lots of cuts and folds to be done. In other words, this is not a book with readymade models; it requires a good deal of work – and patience – on the part of the reader/model maker.

The fourteen projects, in order of the book:

1. Unity Temple
2. Frederick C. Robie House
3. Imperial Hotel
4. Aline Barnsdall "Hollyhock" House
5. Millard House (La Miniatura)
6. John Storer House
7. Freeman House
8. Charles Ennis House
9. National Life Insurance Building
10. Taliesin West
11. Herbert and Katherine Jacobs I House
12. Edgar J. Kaufmann House "Fallingwater"
13. Johnson Wax Administration Building
14. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Upon receiving an advance copy of the book, I couldn't help but try out the kirigami technique with what appears to be the easiest model, the Jacobs House.

One down, thirteen to go.