Steve Butler
This LEGO creation grew out of simple play with some parts to see how
they could connect together to form shapes. Starting with simple
blocks small shapes emerged that grew into larger shapes. Soon it
because clear that one simple piece (called "headlight") could be used
to form large complicated recursive structures. Small Menger sponges
were constructed and connected to make larger Menger sponges which
were then further refined, leading to the current level-3 Menger
sponge. The result is a structure which comes across much larger than
the physical dimensions would indicate and gives an opportunity to
experience what a Menger sponge is like including the fractal nature.
A level-3 Menger sponge created using approximately 32,000 LEGO
bricks (all of the type known as "headlight"). This was built at
the Iowa State University 2022 REU in Mathematics with the main
build team consisting of Steve Butler, Elena D'Avanzo, Laura P.
Gamboa Guzmán, Rachel Heikkinen, Joel Jeffries, Alyssa Kruczek,
and Harper Niergarth