Butterfly Box

Trilogy

Kagen Sound has had us going around in circles over the past five years with his epic set of patterned boxes - the Lotus, the Caterpillar, and finally, the Butterfly. The entire Lotus Box Trilogy originated with an idea for a moving circular patterned puzzle mechanism Kagen was exploring for a desk project he had been commissioned to make, which would become the Pipe Organ Desk. The circular pattern was deemed too elaborate to make as a desk, ironically, considering how elaborate and complex the Pipe Organ Desk became, but the idea stuck with him and ultimately came to life as the Lotus Table, a gorgeous piece of puzzle furniture with eight concentric rings on the surface. As the rings are turned, design patterns emerge which when discovered allow drawers in the table to open. As challenging as the table build was, he still wanted to create a box from the idea, and the next puzzle became how to make the Lotus Table smaller. This in itself posed two distinct problems for Kagen – how to make the design as small as a box yet retain multiple solutions, and how to incorporate multiple variations. In his search for the latter, he came upon three distinctly interesting arrangements of line pattern arrays which could each generate a unique set of solutions. It seemed only natural to make a trilogy rather than try to choose one of the equally satisfying sets.

The patterns found on the The Lotus Box were derived directly from the Lotus Table, which in turn came from Kagen’s earlier work on the aptly named Pattern Box. All of these come from the Greek Key pattern, a classical design known as a meander (meandros in the original Greek), a repeating geometrical motif found as architectural detail across ancient buildings and artwork borders. The Caterpillar Box patterns utilize another similar motif called the Running Dog, alternatively known as the Vitruvian Scroll or Wave and similarly found in ancient design. Starting with each of these interesting classic patterns, Kagen divided them into strips which, when shifted, revealed new patterns unique to the origin and set. For the Butterfly Box, he used a third design which he refers to as the +/x symbol pattern, as it does not seem to have a more classic reference. Poetically, in a mathematical and metaphorical way, shifting the +/x pattern can lead to formation of both the Greek Key and Running Dog patterns. In a sense the two prior patterns merge to create the third and complete the trilogy. Fittingly, the first step in the Butterfly Box is therefore a pattern which combines elements (and clues) from the Lotus and Caterpillar.

Kagen explains that in the Lotus table, he used straight line patterns to approximate the curves of the circles, which worked but at times led to the patterns not lining up perfectly. Collector Rob Jones noted this phenomenon in the Lotus table and initiated a discussion about it with Kagen, which contributed to the evolution of the design. For the boxes, Kagen was determined to create actual curved inlay. He solved this problem for the Lotus trilogy by creating a true logarithmic inlay curve, a new puzzle in itself and something that as a designer Kagen enjoys as well – solving the puzzle of how to actually make something, and do it exactly, efficiently, and timely. As Kagen puts it, “Is this even possible? Can it be done?” Hearing Kagen talk about the puzzle of designing something reminded me of Robert Yarger’s method of “painting himself in a corner” with an idea, and being forced to figure out a way to make it work or have to scrap the whole puzzle. I imagined that this would be very opposite to what Kagen Sound must do, with such precise mathematical shapes and movements needed in his designs, but he assured me that this most certainly happens to him as well. As a design takes shape, “cool” new problems emerge that need to be solved, and there is a constant desire to keep improving on a design and its quality. Puzzle making is an ever moving target.

Building the boxes, according to Kagen, was a crazy combination of low and high tech. For example, he used a CNC machine to etch jigs for making the logarithmic curves, but also a box cutter blade and paper to guide the rings around the inlay. He learned many new skills during the trilogy build. When he started the project he could not plane yosegi, for example. In the Lotus Box, he used the CNC to etch the clues found along the solve, and veneer to fill that in. By the time he made the Butterfly Box, he had learned to make his own yosegi blocks and planes which were used to create all the clues. He plans to use this technique more frequently, and is even “signing” his newest boxes with yosegi now. He also developed the use of wooden “click springs” which are present in all three boxes where the drawers open and close. He finds this tool so useful it has already found its way into his newest “Plus Box”, and he foresees these being a standard use item. In addition to their utility, the springs provide an intriguing tactile and auditory feel that adds to the whole experience.

What’s in a name? The original name for the Lotus Table actually came from Darren Aronofsky, who owns the Pipe Organ Desk and suggested it after seeing the design ideas for the table. It is truly a fitting name if you have ever seen the table with all of its petal shaped drawers opened. Kagen later noticed that once he perfected the logarithmic curve for the boxes, the flat +/x pattern looked more like a butterfly, and that name stuck. Finally he completed the life cycle by naming the middle box the Caterpillar. From the very start he knew what the design of all three boxes would be like, with a hexagonal structure and four drawers. After completion of the first box in the series (Lotus), he discovered a glitch which creates a misalignment and blocks future drawers from opening. Kagen likens this to finding a bug in a computer program, and he sent out instructions on how to fix this issue if it occurred. He later used that “glitch” in the Butterfly box and it plays a role in the intended solution. That’s not the only added challenge to the final installment. The Butterfly Box includes additional puzzles and even a sequential discovery element to the journey, plus a fitting tribute to the series found at the finale.

The Lotus Box series is also a story told in wood. Kagen was committed to using three distinct walnut species from the start, having leftover Bastogne walnut from the Pipe Organ Desk project. Bastogne walnut, also known as the “Paradox Tree”, is a California native hybrid of two other beautiful species of walnut. Kagen succeeded in sourcing enough of the other two species to add that poetic touch to the tale. The Lotus Box is made from Claro Walnut, the Caterpillar Box from European Walnut, and the Butterfly Box from Bastogne Walnut, the same wood found in the Pipe Organ Desk and a result of cross pollination of the first two walnuts. Because of this, Bastogne walnut trees cannot reproduce and represent one out of every hundred trees in the grove, making it the rarest of all. Yet it grows higher and stronger than its parents. How very poetic! Maple, another favorite wood type, serves as the main color counterbalance in the Lotus Trilogy and is also present in three distinctly elegant varieties unique to each box. Kagen writes beautifully about the woods used in the trilogy here.

Kagen says he will never take on a project of this magnitude again but learned so many valuable lessons. He does not regret doing it, and is in fact very happy to have accomplished it, but it was a very ambitious project. He admits he underestimated the time commitment, and is lucky to have had the perseverance and grit needed. He learned that at some point, you need to turn off the perfectionist and stop. It’s ok to say “it’s good enough”. “The younger me tried to impress. The older me can say, it’s cool. It’s beautiful. Trust it.”

The toast to the Lotus Trilogy which concludes with the Butterfly Box echoes the story of the wood and comes from one of my favorite cocktail creators. Erick Castro and his incredible bars have each received every form of praise and prize that exist in the spirits industry, and I am trilled to be able to pair up such award winning talent for this offering. Erick’s industry leading podcast, Bartender at Large, is his “love letter to the art of bartending and the world of craft cocktails”, and his documentary of the same name takes you on a behind the scenes road trip from farm to distillery to consumer through the eyes of the best bartenders in the business.

On his blog Eric talks about this twist on the classic Harvard cocktail, which is essentially a cognac based Manhattan. He notes the original Harvard can be found in George Kappeler’s Modern American Drinks, 1895, although the drink has evolved over time and with modern tastes into a two to one cognac to vermouth ration. Castro plays with the pattern, swapping the vermouth for madeira which adds a rich, warm and nutty sweetness that echoes in the cognac. He enhances that flavor even more with a hint of walnut liqueur, and brings nuance and balance by exchanging the traditional Angostura bitters for absinthe. He comments, “With the Walnut Grove, I was trying to come up with something that played up the dried fruit and nutty flavors of the cognac. I found the best way to do this was to try and create a cocktail that reminded me, almost, of a holiday trail mix. So I essentially went for notes of dates, warm spice, toffee and of course, walnuts. The drink works beautifully anytime of year, but I particularly enjoy it for the cooler months of the year.” The drink pays homage to California’s native tree and will transport you to the grove. Here’s to recognizing the patterns in our lives, and experiencing the wonderful pleasures of little shifts in those patterns. Cheers.

Walnut Grove by Erick Castro

2 oz XO Cognac

¾ oz madeira

¼ oz nocino

3 dashes absinthe

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or lime peel butterfly.

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Special thanks to Kagen Sound and Erick Castro for their contributions to the piece.

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