The sonobe unit is a parallelogram that is commonly used in modular origami. Using this simple-to-fold unit, you can create the sonobe box or the stellated octahedron!
Six sonobe units, used to build the sonobe box
A sonobe unit folded in half, used to build the stellated octahedron
Follow the tutorial below to fold a sonobe unit
- Begin with a square piece of origami paper
- Fold the paper in half
- Unfold the paper and fold the sides of the paper to the center crease
- Fold the upper right corner and the lower left corner to the crease you just made
- Fold the left and right flaps back to the center crease
- Fold the lower right and upper left corners to form a parallelogram
- Fold the loose flaps of the parallelogram in to make a tight parallelogram. This is your sonobe unit
- Flip the sonobe unit over
- Fold the lower left and upper right corners up to form a square. This sonobe unit is used in creating the sonobe box.
- Some modular models, like the stellated octahedron, require the sonobe unit to be folded in half, so the unit resembles a collapsable triangle
natural origami 