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Compound of 3 Cubes

This compound of 3 cubes appeared in M.C. Escher's Waterfall. This model is provided in Great Stella's Polyhedron Library. It can also be made as a stellation of the rhombicuboctahedron. Its dual is a compound of 3 octahedra.

Using augmentation and faceting As well as being as stellation of the rhombicuboctahedron, here is another unexpected method of construction. Augment a cube with pyramids to get the model shown here (left) and its dual (right).

Enter Create Facets Mode and create two facets of this dual model as shown. Then use "Poly>Create Faceted Polyhedron" to create the 3-cube compound. Finally use "Color>Color as a Compound" to color each of the three cubes in its own color.

There are two kinds of net required for most of the model, one with two parts, and one with three (each net being a single colour). Near the end though you often need to do things a little differently to be able to get the last piece in nicely. A good idea is to always print out an extra copy of each net, so that you can butcher them into smaller parts later if necessary. Here you can see a special part I made near the end to help finish the model.

Here the final special part is glued in place, and then just two flaps remain to be closed. The trick is to try to be left with only convex edges to glue at the end, because they glue more easily when you can no longer reach inside with the tweezers.

Home > Gallery > My Models > Miscellaneous Polyhedra > Compound of 3 Cubes.

Prev (4 Tetrahedra) Next (4 Cubes)

	As well as being as stellation of the rhombicuboctahedron, here is another unexpected method of construction. Augment a cube with pyramids to get the model shown here (left) and its dual (right).
	Enter Create Facets Mode and create two facets of this dual model as shown. Then use "`Poly>Create Faceted Polyhedron`" to create the 3-cube compound. Finally use "`Color>Color as a Compound`" to color each of the three cubes in its own color.
	There are two kinds of net required for most of the model, one with two parts, and one with three (each net being a single colour). Near the end though you often need to do things a little differently to be able to get the last piece in nicely. A good idea is to always print out an extra copy of each net, so that you can butcher them into smaller parts later if necessary. Here you can see a special part I made near the end to help finish the model.
	Here the final special part is glued in place, and then just two flaps remain to be closed. The trick is to try to be left with only convex edges to glue at the end, because they glue more easily when you can no longer reach inside with the tweezers.