Explore a three-dimensional folding fractal. Change its scale and folding radii to reveal cavities, repeating rooms and fine geometric detail.
Places to start
Each example restores a known view and applies the values described below. Then explore one control at a time.
Negative scale −2.7
Begin with scale −2.7, minimum radius 0.5 and fixed radius 1. Orbit slowly and look into the repeating cavities.
Positive scale 2
Compare scale 2 with the negative-scale example. Look for changes in the arrangement of folded forms.
Wider box fold
Keep scale −2.7 and increase the box fold limit to 1.5. Notice how moving the folding boundary changes the spacing of the structure.
Understanding the Mandelbox
The Mandelbox repeatedly reflects points across box boundaries, applies a sphere fold and scales the result. These operations create a three-dimensional fractal with angular structures and recurring cavities.
Scale controls expansion and orientation between repetitions. A negative value reverses the scaled coordinates, often producing a very different structure from a positive value. Minimum radius and fixed radius set the sphere-fold regions; box fold limit moves the reflecting planes. Change one at a time to understand its effect.
Distance, orbit angle and elevation move your view around the origin. If a shape fills the screen, zoom out before changing its parameters. Higher iterations and ray steps reveal finer boundaries but can increase render time. Freeze and refine stops rotation, then accumulates samples at the settled resolution within the device budget.
Navigate on a phone or desktop
On a computer, drag to orbit and scroll to zoom; the settings stay beside the view. On a phone, use Controls to open the settings sheet. Zoom buttons work without gestures. Tap Interact to orbit with one finger or zoom with two fingers; tap it again to return to normal page scrolling. Fullscreen gives the fractal more room while keeping your settings.