A Bridge Built from One Sheet

Explore how folds help a single sheet span a small gap.

Time: 30–45 minutes

Use a sheet of paper and two stable, low supports, such as similar small boxes, on a tabletop. This is a miniature structure, not a weight-bearing object.

What you need

paper
found objects

Try this idea

Place the supports a short distance apart and lay the flat paper across them.
Notice where it droops, then remove the paper and fold it into broad accordion ridges.
Place the folded sheet across the same gap and compare its shape.
Adjust the fold width or the gap once, changing only one thing at a time.
Choose the version you find most interesting, then put away the supports.

A smaller version

Try just one folded sheet across a very small gap.

A good place to stop

Comparing a flat sheet with a folded sheet completes the experiment.

Make it work for you

Use soft paper and broad folds. A helper can prepare folds if pressing is tiring.

Another way in

Try a curved paper arch rather than an accordion, keeping the supports low.