GAMIFYING ORIGAMI - RULE-BASED IMPROVISATION FOR DESIGN EXPLORATION

Abstract

Origami, which originated as a folding paper game in Japan, has turned into a source of learning and inspiration for design and engineering studies. Complex two-dimensional patterns of origami sustain visual rules of space transformation. So, this paper proposes to gamify origami to get users more involved in the design space exploration process. For the gamification of origami, the study alters the origami patterns in a 3D modular composition with rules, scoring, and rounds in a design context. Gamifying origami becomes a tool for a learning experience for first-year architecture students in the early design phases. Accordingly, this paper presents a gaming experience model based on origami for the foundation studios. This model consists of three main stages: start, rounds, and finish. The teaching of the model is the mereological relationship providing continuity concerning improvisations with visual rules. The reward is the model complexity, such as folding numbers, and regular or modified folding. The penalty is losing scores if the continuity is not maintained. The presented experience model is performed twice in the foundation studios. The former is for understanding how much preliminary knowledge is required for the first-year students to grasp and complete the game. The second is for testing the experience. The results of the study prove the role of visual reflection-on/in action by creating pauses during the origami design and the importance of sustaining the visual inference with transformations between individuals to experience form to formation, complexity, unity, and creativity in origami design. This study would contribute to the literature on experimental methods for design pedagogy.