Ichthys

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Easter is coming so with fluffy bunnies and cute chickens aplenty, it’s good to also add this fish to the pack.

This model is folded from a single strip of paper (1:8√2). The paper is not cut or glued — instead two notches are folded which allow the strip to intersect itself. I have dubbed this approach the Cross Lap Unit due to the similarity to the eponymous joint used in woodworking. Many other shapes can be folded in a similar fashion, both from single sheets and as multi-module assemblies.

This design is also a bit of a curiosity when it comes to classification. It’s from a single sheet of paper, but the design is basically a single Cross Lap Unit, so it can also be considered a modular origami model with a module count of 1. Depending on whether we see the shape as the Ichthys symbol or as a representation of an actual fish, we can also classify the design as either abstract or figurative.