We will need four 11-by-8½-inch

rectangular sheets. Two of the sheets

will be used as measuring tools. We
will call them the measurement sheets.
The measurement sheets will be
discarded. In the diagrams, the
measurement sheets are green, and the
plain side of each origami sheet is Step 01:
white and the fancy side is pink. Fold one of the measurement sheets
in half and then unfold.
8 to
make the bottom unit of the box. We
Minimalist Box will need a measurement sheet and
by Arsalan Wares one origami sheet to make the bottom
part of the box.

Step 02: Step 03: Step 04:

Fold the bottom-right corner using the Fold the top-right corner using the Use the folded longer edge of the
crease created in the previous step. folded edge of the measurement sheet. measurement sheet and the free
shorter edge to make another crease.

180o
180o

Step 05: Step 07:

Unfold the measurement sheet
completely. Use the crease created in
the last step to make another crease.
This is the fifth or the last crease on
the measurement sheet.
Step 06: Repeat the previous step with the
Fold the measurement sheet along the other shorter edge to create the second
fifth or the last crease and press the crease on the origami sheet.
appropriate (as shown in the figure)
shorter edge of the origami sheet
against the folded crease of the
measurement sheet to form the first
crease on the origami sheet.

© Copyright 2022 by Arsalan Wares 1

This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author.
If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright.
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Step 08:
Keep the measurement sheet folded along the
fifth or the last crease and press the
appropriate (as shown in the figure) longer
edge of the origami sheet against the folded
crease of the measurement sheet to form the
third crease on the origami sheet.
Step 09:
Repeat the previous step with the
other longer edge to create the fourth
crease on the origami sheet. We don’t
need the measurement sheet any more
for this unit.
Step 10:
With the fancy side facing up, fold
parts of the second and third creases to
make the next (slant) crease as shown
above.

90o

Step 11: Step 12: Step 13:

Repeat the previous step three more With the plain side facing up, make Rotate the model 90 degrees and
times by rotating the model two more vertical creases as shown. re-crease as shown.
appropriately to create three more
slant creases as shown.

Step 14:
Fold using the arrows to turn the flat
model into a three-dimensional one.
Step 15: Step 16:
This is what the resulting model This is what the resulting model
should look like. Lift the bottom-right should look like.
corner up.

© Copyright 2022 by Arsalan Wares 2

This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author.
If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright.
Join OrigamiUSA online at https://origamiusa.org/
 Making the Top Unit of the Box!
The top unit can be made in a similar manner. We
need a second measurement sheet for the top unit. We
want the square base of the top unit to be slightly larger
than that of the bottom. Let’s consider the measurement
sheet used for the bottom unit. Suppose the distance
between the fifth crease and the nearest parallel edge of
the measurement sheet is x inches (shown on the left). We
need to make a crease on the second measurement sheet
that is parallel to the sheet’s shorter edges. Suppose the
distance between this crease and the nearest parallel edge
Step 18: is x inches (shown on the right). We want to make sure y > x
Here is the finished bottom unit. and y x 1/10 inch (2.54 mm). Using the second
measurement sheet and an origami sheet, follow steps 06
Step 17: through 18 to make the top unit of the box.
Repeat steps 14 through 16 with the x y
other corner. Tuck the excess paper
inside to complete the bottom unit of
the box.
new
fold
fifth for box
fold top fifth
fold

A video clip showing how this box

can be made is available at the
following link:
https://youtu.be/v3P19lJX4UY

© Copyright 2022 by Arsalan Wares 3

This document was published by OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold, with permission from the author.
If you did not obtain this document from The Fold’s website, you may have infringed upon the author’s copyright.
Join OrigamiUSA online at https://origamiusa.org/