School of Mathematics

Giant maths sculpture built for Fun Palaces

Students and staff from the Maths Outreach Team, as well as helpers from across Edinburgh, came together on Sunday afternoon to build a giant mathematical sculpture as part of Fun Palaces. Fun Palaces is a national initiative to get communities working together, their tagline being "Everyone an artist, everyone a scientist".

Inspired by the miniature statues of the Kelpies which came to Old College quad at the weekend, the Outreach team decided to build a 3m tall Sierpinski tetrahedron: a fractal stucture which is a pyramid of pyramids of pyramids of pyramids. It was constructed from balloon sticks and held together with string and pipe cleaners.

Later in the evening the model was transported to the Southside Community Centre, where it was lit up with glow sticks and took pride of place at the Science Ceilidh celebrating the end of the Fun Palaces weekend.

If any schools or community groups are interested in learning more about the build, or having the Maths Outreach Team visit to help build another one, please get in touch!