Peter Engel (born 1959) is an American

origami ) is the Japanese art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a f ...

artist and theorist, science writer, graphic designer, and architect. He has written several books on Origami, including ''Origami from Angelfish to Zen'', ''10-Fold Origami: Fabulous Paperfolds You Can Make in Just 10 Steps!'', and ''Origami Odyssey''.

Education

Engel studied the history and philosophy of science as an undergraduate at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

, where he began studying origami seriously under design scientist Arthur Loeb. In 1987 he graduated from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...

with a master's degree in architecture.

Works

''Folding the Universe: Origami from Angelfish to Zen'' (1989) is his first book on origami. It is a highly unusual origami book in that besides the usual folding instructions, a significant portion was devoted to essays on the history of the craft as well as the theory. By exploring the relationship between art and science, and between creation, invention, and discovery, Engel provides unusual insights on the craft medium which has strict inherent constraints in favouring simple, geometric patterns and yet holds enough creative possibility within it to capture an unexpected range of complex forms. His models range from a unique coiled rattlesnake to a charming dollar bill bow tie to a delicate, detailed butterfly. The book also contains an interview with the legendary Japanese origami artist Akira Yoshizawa. ''Folding the Universe'' was later re-released as '' Origami from Angelfish to Zen''.''Origami from Angelfish to Zen'', Peter Engel, Dover Publications, 1994, ''10-Fold Origami: Fabulous Paperfolds You Can Make in Just 10 Steps!'' (2009)''10-Fold Origami: Fabulous Paperfolds You Can Make in Just 10 Steps!'', Peter Engel, Tuttle Publishing, 2009, is his second book on origami. "Origami Odyssey: A Journey to the Edge of Paperfolding" (2011) is his third book on origami. Engel's writings on science have appeared in various publications including ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', ''

Discover Discover may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''Discover'' (album), a Cactus Jack album * ''Discover'' (magazine), an American science magazine Businesses and brands * DISCover, the ''Digital Interactive Systems Corporation'' * ...

'', and ''

Scientific American ''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many famous scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it. In print since 1845, it i ...

''.

Notes

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Engel, Peter 1959 births Living people Harvard College alumni Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation alumni Origami artists

Education

Works

See also

Notes

Further reading

External links