Fractal Gingerbread House

 by fungus amungus
Featured
gingerbread8.jpg
For all the math geeks who want to celebrate the holidays in their own way, try out the Fractal Gingerbread House. There may not be infinite surface area, but why not make your inedible masterpiece an ode to a beautiful pattern instead of some dumpy looking house?

So let's get our geek on and make a gingerbread Menger sponge.
 
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Step 1: Menger sponge

600px-Menger_sponge_%28Level_1-4%29.jpg
A Menger sponge is a 3D fractal that starts with a cube. In each iteration the surface of each cube is divided into 9 sections and the middle section is pushed out.

In the next iteration, you look at the smaller subcubes of the original cube and repeat the same process.

in the picture below you can see the same process. With this gingerbread fractal we'll be making a level 2 Menger sponge and using decoration to make it look like a level 3.

Don't worry if that doesn't make sense, we'll move out of math geek territory now.
thoward3 says: May 22, 2011. 2:16 PM
i did it you should try it.
dyly says: Apr 16, 2011. 5:08 PM
epic win!
sarahfish says: Dec 21, 2009. 5:39 AM
 so many delicious pieces to eat!
askjerry says: Dec 25, 2008. 10:48 AM
Neat... now we need to invent edible LEDs....
mettaurlover in reply to askjerryJan 6, 2009. 12:35 AM
and edible metal... and edible batteries... and edible components... and edible duct tape... ok, duct tape actually IS edible; it just isn't a good idea to eat it...
bassclarinet23 in reply to mettaurloverNov 16, 2009. 1:40 PM
Technically, a lot of things are edible but it's not a good idea to do so. :)
mettaurlover in reply to bassclarinet23Nov 16, 2009. 3:17 PM
exactly.
bassclarinet23 in reply to mettaurloverNov 16, 2009. 3:47 PM
Because is one eats something, one could consider it edible. :)
mettaurlover in reply to bassclarinet23Nov 16, 2009. 4:05 PM
yep :D
i learned the hard way that 9-volts are NOT fun to eat.
bassclarinet23 in reply to mettaurloverNov 16, 2009. 5:54 PM
You actually swallowed one? That must have created an interesting sensation.
mettaurlover in reply to bassclarinet23Nov 16, 2009. 6:14 PM
i *almost* swallowed one. thankfully i realized that it would hurt a lot if i swallowed it. i spat it up.
bassclarinet23 in reply to mettaurloverNov 16, 2009. 7:28 PM
Ha ha. Good thinking.
bassclarinet23 in reply to bassclarinet23Nov 16, 2009. 3:47 PM
I meant if. Sorry.
ashleybmeyer says: Dec 25, 2008. 9:48 AM
protip: put the icing in a ziplock bag and cut a tiny hole in the corner (just cut off enough of the corner to make a hole), and it will be super easy to squeeze the icing into dots and lines. (also, it's totally safe to eat the eggwhite-and-powdered-sugar icing you described.)
fungus amungus (author) in reply to ashleybmeyerDec 25, 2008. 11:01 AM
That's what I did at first, but with so many dots on vertical sides I found it faster to put a dab on my finger and do it that way. I know it's edible, I just don't want to mainline sugar is all :)
oskay says: Dec 25, 2008. 9:29 AM
This is simply fantastic! Bonus points for *not* using the laser to cut out the gingerbread directly!
fungus amungus (author) in reply to oskayDec 25, 2008. 11:00 AM
Oh, the thought crossed my mind, but I wanted to make something that anyone else could copy.
Plasmana says: Dec 25, 2008. 10:00 AM
Wow! That looks really cool!
Johnfiat says: Dec 24, 2008. 6:59 AM
Where did you get the template or did you make it and if you did what did you use for the material? Great project. Keep the math is Christmas!
fungus amungus (author) in reply to JohnfiatDec 24, 2008. 9:14 AM
The template is a laser-cut piece of acrylic. You can easily make one from a piece of paper that will work just as well.
rachel says: Dec 23, 2008. 4:20 PM
Hee hee! Food & math :)
fungus amungus (author) in reply to rachelDec 24, 2008. 9:13 AM
It doesn't get much better
astrozombies138 says: Dec 24, 2008. 7:05 AM
Haha, i just watched a movie called "Silk" which is based around capturing a ghost's energy in a menger sponge.
=SMART= says: Dec 24, 2008. 3:35 AM
Awesome ! Its so geeky :D
falcotheimpaler says: Dec 24, 2008. 1:11 AM
very meticulous. very nice.
LinuxH4x0r says: Dec 23, 2008. 8:15 PM
Very nice!
Dorkfish92 says: Dec 23, 2008. 7:31 PM
...That, is an awesome gingerbread house. Nice work!
Doveman says: Dec 23, 2008. 6:54 PM
I got an idea! A steampunk gingerbread house!
Painkilla05 says: Dec 23, 2008. 4:29 PM
My mind exploded with sugarey goodness.
Sunbanks says: Dec 23, 2008. 4:27 PM
That's really cool :D
gmjhowe says: Dec 23, 2008. 3:30 PM
wow, you have taken it to a whole new infinite level. Great work, i love how you actually made the middle tunnel section.
whatsisface says: Dec 23, 2008. 3:19 PM
Gingerbread mobius strip plz?
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