Truchet tiles are a classic tiling system first introduced by the French monk and mathematician Sébastien Truchet in 1704. Originally based on simple diagonal lines within square tiles, the system became widely recognized for its ability to generate complex, unpredictable patterns through simple, repeatable rules. In modern adaptations, especially with quarter-circle arcs connecting tile edges, Truchet tiles have come to symbolize how minimal shifts in orientation can radically alter the flow of a design. The idea that complexity can emerge from simple constraints was the foundation that inspired this project.
I was fascinated by how these tiles could create fluid, maze-like paths from static shapes. That curiosity led me to imagine what it might look like if those paths existed in motion, and in three dimensions. I recreated a Rubik’s Cube where each of the smaller cubes features a Truchet tile on its face. As the cube rotates, a ball travels along the Truchet paths, navigating a constantly changing network that reshapes itself with every twist.
A Rubik’s Cube consists of three types of smaller cubes: center cubes, which have only one face visible and stay fixed in place; edge cubes, which expose two adjacent faces; and corner cubes, which reveal three visible faces. This meant designing tile patterns that could wrap across multiple surfaces while preserving the continuity of the path. The center tiles acted like anchors, while the edge and corner tiles had to be crafted carefully so the arc-based Truchet lines connect seamlessly no matter how the cube turns.
