Book: ‘Origami Architecture’

From 3D jigsaw puzzles of the New York City skyline to Lego replicas of the Burj Khalifa, the options available to the hobbyist starchitect have never been more bountiful. Origami Architecture: Papercraft Models of the World’s Most Famous Buildings, from paper architect and author Sheung Yee Shing, adds craft paper to the model builder’s toolkit, providing templates to cut and assemble models of 16 of the world’s most recognizable buildings, including the Eiffel Tower, the Chrysler building, and the Hall of Supreme Harmony. What’s notable about these paper replicas is how much detail that plain white paper can illuminate. When you strip away the model’s materiality, the simple interface of light and shade highlights the striking beauty of the buildings’ architectural outlines (London’s Westminster Abbey, after 66 cutting and interlocking steps, shown). That such intricate crafts can be folded flat only adds to their mystery. • $24.95; Tuttle Publishing, October 2011