My intention with this project was to create a simple lantern shaped lamp using the paper pleating and joining techniques I learned with my first lamp.

However, I quickly learned that part of the reason my first lamp worked was that it had angled sides - without them, the pleats had a tendency to fold in on themselves and would require significant structure to stay square. Wanting this lamp to be pretty minimal, I looked for alternative architectures.

I explored using magnets to hold panels of paper in place, but could not get strong enough small magnets to minimize the external aesthetic impact of the magnet holding brackets.

My next attempt was to create tracks for the paper to slot into. This worked well at holding the paper, but I could not come up with an elegant yet durable fastener to connect the base and posts of the lamp together.

Finally I arrived at using the tracks on the base of the lamp and dowels to span the height of the lamp. I made a full size quarter section to validate the design.

Final assembly was a bit difficult but definitely doable. I slid on a paper sleeve with a glued seam, and then screwed on the top of the frame.