# Art Project: Construct a building using only newspaper and masking tape (contest) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2007, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354 "2007-08-21T13:00:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SweetHomeColorado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d26b3c/32.png) [@SweetHomeColorado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetHomeColorado)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/1 "2007-08-21T13:00:38Z")
I’m the worst artist ever but I decided to take an art class anyway. Our first assignment was to take newspapers, roll, fold, or shape then in any way to be help together with a minimal amount of masking tape. The winner is the person who constructs the tallest ‘building’ My idea was to take the newspaper and roll it up one sheet at a time to create supports. they seem sturdy and possibly worthwhile. The next step is constructing it into something that will be able to withstand any obstacles (weight, etc) as it gets taller. I took a look at structures which has passed the test of time and came up with building it in the likes of the pyramid because of its support structure. My second guess was to go off of the idea of an igloo’s shape due to the way it relies on itself for support. Hell I’m not an archetect major… in fact im not even an art major. (yes this is a COLLEGE class) However I am competitive and I’d love to win This is where I need help… I’m sure its unlikely anyone has done this before but may be able to put together some common logic and throw and idea. It’s really needed at this point. Like I said, there are no requirements except a roll of masking tape What do you think? Please, share your almighty wisdom! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/2 "2007-08-21T13:35:19Z")
The famous Newspaper House in Rockport, Mass, was built of rolled-up newspaper in 1922, and is still standing: [http://www.paperhouserockport.com/about.html](http://www.paperhouserockport.com/about.html) Of course, thet used more than paper and masking tape. But they’re not asking yours to stand for 85 years. If you’ve got no limit on the amount of paper, rolled newspaper seems a good and sturdy way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/3 "2007-08-21T14:05:44Z")
Some ideas that might prove profitable: -Try rolling the paper into a tube, then squashing the tube flat along its length (creating two longitudinal creases), then unravel it and re-roll with _three_ creases, creating a tube with a triangular cross-section. -Try bundling seven small tubes together, sheathed with another sheet of paper -Take a look at the triangular lattice beams [here](http://science.howstuffworks.com/tower-crane4.htm). Can you make those out of paper tubes? - Beware that crimping the ends of tube to tape them together might result in weak spots. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/4 "2007-08-21T14:50:59Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Of course, thet used more than paper and masking tape. [/QUOTE] Nope. There is a fair amount of lumber in the construction. Glass as well. Still, it’s amazing that a largely paper building has withstood so many New England winters. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/5 "2007-08-21T14:58:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Nope. There is a fair amount of lumber in the construction. Glass as well. There’s a typo. Obviously you meant “Yup”, since you were agreeing with me that they used more than paper and masking tape. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/6 "2007-08-21T15:08:17Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] There’s a typo. Obviously you meant “Yup”, since you were agreeing with me that they used more than paper and masking tape. [/QUOTE] Well, yeah, there’s that. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/7 "2007-08-22T03:04:50Z")
Build a truss design out of tubes of rolled newspaper (and how is this an art project and not an engineering one?) Straight rolls of paper will work well in direct compression. The weak points will be at the connections where tubes come in from three directions. instead of crushing the rolls to make connections, I’d run masking tape lengthwise as splints and then wrap around with more tape. Personally, I’d build a scale model of the Eiffel Tower and I’d only make it as tall as a rented [cherry picker](http://images.google.com/images?q=%22cherry+picker%22&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi) would reach, but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/8 "2007-08-22T03:16:35Z")
I suggest stacked tubes of newspapers, tubes placed vertically, basically in a pyramid shape. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/9 "2007-08-22T04:54:52Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] The famous Newspaper House in Rockport, Mass, was built of rolled-up newspaper in 1922, and is still standing: > **[Rockport, Massachusetts The Paper House](https://www.paperhouserockport.com/about.html)** Of course, thet used more than paper and masking tape. But they’re not asking yours to stand for 85 years. If you’ve got no limit on the amount of paper, rolled newspaper seems a good and sturdy way to go. [/QUOTE] Geez. Fire insurance must be a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/10 "2007-08-22T06:34:01Z")
Since when does the Dope help with school work? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/11 "2007-08-22T10:44:29Z")
[QUOTE=treis] Since when does the Dope help with school work? [/QUOTE] We’ve given pointers and hints, not direct explicit instructions of how to do the whole thing - I think that’s permitted. BTW, have a look at the way corrugated cardboard is constructed - can you replicate something like that from folded newspaper? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/12 "2007-08-22T13:20:58Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-project-construct-a-building-using-only-newspaper-and-masking-tape-contest/416354/13 "2007-08-22T15:21:17Z")
Does the newspaper building need to support or withstand anything other than its own weight? You can get really tall buildings with bundled tubes. Chicago’s Sears Tower is a square arrangement of nine tubes. Taking the concept to extremes, the [Burj Dubai,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Dubai) under construction in (where else?) Dubai resembles a spiral arrangement of bundled tubes and it’s going to be 160+ stories tall. It’s not actually a bundled tube design, but it outwardly looks like one and could easily be duplicated in newsprint with that technique.