{"id":1846555,"date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1846555"},"modified":"2026-03-25T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T21:00:00","slug":"explore-a-growing-city-of-meticulously-crafted-miniature-paper-buildings-by-charles-young","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1846555","title":{"rendered":"Explore a Growing City of Meticulously Crafted Miniature Paper Buildings by Charles Young"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-6.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Colorful miniature paper models of buildings by Charles Young\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images courtesy of Charles Young, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Explore a Growing City of Meticulously Crafted Miniature Paper Buildings by Charles Young<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-25T13:39:09-05:00\">March 25, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-animation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/animation\/\" rel=\"tag\">Animation<\/a><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-craft\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/craft\/\" rel=\"tag\">Craft<\/a><a class=\"category-design\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/design\/\" rel=\"tag\">Design<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link 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href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F03%2Fcharles-young-paper-miniature-architecture-models-sculptures%2F&amp;description=Explore%20a%20Growing%20City%20of%20Meticulously%20Crafted%20Miniature%20Paper%20Buildings%20by%20Charles%20Young&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F03%2Fyoung-6-960x640.jpg\" aria-label=\"Pin\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-ZyjLCFoh\" data-rl_title data-rl_caption title><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tPin\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"471838\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>From factories and barrel-roofed buildings to gabled churches and towers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paperholm.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charles Young<\/a>\u2019s sprawling yet diminutive city of paper models continues to grow. Known for his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/charles-young\">miniature constructions<\/a> and animations that often double as three-dimensional color studies, the sculptor and animator highlights a wide range of architectural styles with an emphasis on color pairings.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2020, Young has been making hundreds of miniature structures inspired by <em>A Dictionary of Color Combinations<\/em> by Japanese costume designer and painter <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sanzo_Wada\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sanzo Wada<\/a> (1883-1967). (There\u2019s even a fun, <a href=\"https:\/\/sanzo-wada.dmbk.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interactive website<\/a> based on the book.) So far, Young has completed 258 buildings from the first volume, which focuses on two-color combinations, and there are 90 to go. But he\u2019s created a wide array of examples featuring multiple color combinations, too.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-12.gif\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-12.gif\" alt=\"A gif of a colorful miniature garage made of paper with a green car rolling out of it\" class=\"wp-image-471851\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>In June, Young will display 120 three-color paper sculptures at <a href=\"https:\/\/kunstareal.de\/en\/buildings-and-institutions\/galleries-and-offspaces\/galerie-handwerk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Galerie Handwerk<\/a> in Munich. And in addition to the paper models, he also creates architecturally inspired sculptures from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paperholm.com\/work\/cane-weaving\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wood and woven cane<\/a>, some of which are currently on display in Scotland at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kirkcudbrightgalleries.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kirkcudbright Galleries<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.themaclaurin.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MacLaurin Gallery<\/a>. See more on Young\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/paperholm_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/paperholm.tumblr.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tumblr<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-5.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-5.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful miniature paper model of a building by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471846\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-2.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful miniature paper model of a building by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471843\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-7.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful miniature paper models of buildings by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471848\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-1.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful miniature paper model of a building by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471842\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-4.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful miniature paper model of a building by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471845\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-9.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-9.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful miniature paper models of buildings by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471839\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-3.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful miniature paper model of a building by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471844\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-11.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-11.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful miniature paper model of a building by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471841\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-8.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471838\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/young-8.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful miniature paper models of buildings by Charles Young\" class=\"wp-image-471849\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a 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From factories and barrel-roofed buildings to gabled churches and towers, Charles Young\u2019s sprawling yet diminutive city of paper models continues to grow. 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