Le Paper Globe

Step 1

You'll need one to two hours to build your globe. You'll also need :

• scissors or an X-ACTO knife & cutting board,
• a ruler,
• an old ballpoint pen
• and coffee.

First, print the 14 pages on heavy weight paper (50 lb to 80 lb or 200 to 300g/m²). This step can be done with a laser or an inkjet printer.

If you're from North America, be sure to download the template file for the US Letter format.

Step 2

Brew a cup of coffee, but put it aside because it's too hot right now.

Cut the shapes along the black edges. This step is the longest.

Step 3

pages 1 to 4

The best way to make clean folds is to mark the folding line with your ballpoint pen on the back of the paper, so that the fold will follow it cleanly.

Fold the side wings, then mark the folds on the equator and the 45th parallels.

Step 4

pages 7 to 14

Fold the octogons along the dashed line (use the technique from the last step), then cut out the three inside pieces.

Step 5

pages 5 to 14

Assemble the insides of the globe by fitting the folded octogons (pieces 7 to 14) in the pieces 5, 6a & 6b.

The coffee should now be too cold to drink. Micro-wave the cup.

Step 6

Fit the side wings of the exterior pieces (pieces 1 to 4) inside the slits created by the folded octogons.

Step 7

Repeat 7 times, be careful not to put the USA in the middle of Russia. World Wars happened for less.

Step 8

Voilà !

Don't hesitate to post your pictures on the Flickr group, on the Facebook page , on Twitter : #lePaperGlobe, or even Tumblr : #le Paper Globe!

The coffee waited too long in the microwave, it's turned bad. Brew another cup and drink it while admiring your paper globe, you earned that!