What is Origami Obelisks?

Origami Obelisks splits the group into small teams, hands everyone square origami paper, and has them practice a fold before the real event: each team connects its individual pieces into one shared obelisk, judged afterward on height, creativity, or structural stability.

It works because the obelisk is one shared object, not a stack of separate entries — a shaky fold from any single person throws the whole piece off, so the team has to actually coordinate technique instead of dividing up the work and comparing results at the end.

It's built for in-person groups with a table, paper, and 30–60 minutes to spend on it — skip it for a fully remote team or a tight time slot; there's no version of folding a shared obelisk together that works over video, and it doesn't compress down much further than that.

The rules

Split into groups of 3–5, mixing people who don't already know each other well.
Every group gets several sheets of square origami paper plus step-by-step fold instructions.
Practice the fold together before the real build — corrections and tips flow between teammates.
Optional: run a mini challenge (smallest obelisk, fastest fold) before the main event.
Within your set time limit, each group connects its individual folds into one obelisk.
Judge on height, creativity, structural stability, or accuracy — then debrief on how the team got there.

Before you start

Group size: 6–20, split into teams of 3–5. Mix people who don't know each other well into each small group — that mixing is most of the actual icebreaking.
Origami paper and instructions, one set per group. Plan on 3–4 sheets of square origami paper per person, for practice runs plus the final build, and a printed or projected instruction sheet each group can follow at its own pace.
A table or flat surface per group. Give each group room to spread out — everyone needs space to fold at once, not just the person holding the instructions.
Decide the judging criteria before anyone folds. Height, creativity, structural stability, accuracy to the design — pick the criteria upfront so groups know what they're actually building toward.
Prizes are optional. A small prize for the winning group raises the stakes; the activity holds up fine without one.

How to run it

Split into groups and hand out materials 3–5 min
Divide participants into groups of 3–5. Give each group its origami paper and instructions, and point them to a flat surface.
Set the goal and the judging criteria 2 min
State the goal out loud: one shared obelisk, built from connected individual folds. Say how it'll be judged — height, creativity, structural stability, or accuracy — before anyone starts folding.
Practice the fold 5–10 min
Let each group work through the fold together, trading corrections and shortcuts before the real build starts.
Optional mini challenge 5–10 min · optional
Run a smallest-obelisk or fastest-fold round for extra practice and a lower-stakes warm-up.
Build the final obelisk 10–20 min
Within your set time limit, each group connects its individual folds into one standing obelisk.
Present, judge, and debrief 5–10 min
Each group presents its obelisk for judging, then talk through what collaboration actually looked like — what broke, what got fixed, and who contributed what.

← it only stands if everyone's fold lines up.

Facilitator tips

Stock varied paperInclude different colors, patterns, and textures — accessibility and cultural variety both start with what's on the table before anyone folds anything.

Show, don't just tellStep-by-step instructions on a screen or printed sheet beat verbal-only directions — folding is visual, and a noisy room or a language barrier shouldn't decide who keeps up.

Judge on more than heightCreativity, storytelling, and teamwork are all real categories. It spreads recognition past whoever happens to be best at origami.

Build in slackSome folders need more time or a different material — cardstock, a pre-scored template — to reach the same finish line. Offer it before someone has to ask.

Why it works

The build only holds up togetherBecause the obelisk is built from separate folds connected into one structure, a shaky fold in one corner throws off the whole piece — so the group has to coordinate fold-by-fold, not just divide up the work and reassemble it at the end.

A judged outcome, not just a finished oneScoring on height, creativity, or structural stability forces real decisions mid-build — the group negotiates trade-offs instead of racing to the finish. That negotiation is where the actual teamwork shows up.

A concrete skill, not just a warm feelingParticipants leave having learned an actual origami fold — something to repeat with their own kids or coworkers later, and a rare icebreaker that teaches a transferable skill instead of just prompting conversation.

HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I like this one because it's simple to run and it teaches something real — most people leave having learned an actual fold. Add a competitive round and a debrief, and the paper obelisk turns into a genuine conversation about how the team works together."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

A few minutes of these after the judging turns the folding into an actual conversation about how the team works.

How did you feel during the activity?Comfort levels vary team to team — this surfaces where people actually landed.
What challenges came up while building your obelisk, and how did you work through them?Draws out problem-solving strategies worth passing to the next team that tries this.
How did collaboration shape your team's result?Names teamwork as the actual mechanism behind whatever got built.
What's the parallel between building the obelisk and working toward a shared goal at work?Turns the paper structure into a stand-in for any project that only holds up when every piece lines up.
Did you learn anything new from a teammate during this?Surfaces small moments of knowledge-sharing that are easy to miss in the room.
Where would you use this kind of collaboration again?Moves the conversation from "that was neat" to an actual takeaway.