Mixing physics, engineering, paper and what looks like some seriously rewarding folding, cutting and taping DIY, Andrew Gatt builds incredibly sturdy paper roller coasters out of heavy paper strips. Yes! Only paper and tape was used to make this paper roller coaster… and it almost reaches a two-story high ceiling!

I included just about every feature that I could think of when I designed this roller coaster. It has a switch, three funnels, a half pipe, track hidden inside the structural beams and columns, a jump, many spirals and loops, switchbacks, hill and valley sequences, and stairs. It’s 16’4” (4.97 meters) tall, yet its base is only 13” (33 cm) by 12.5” (31 cm). It’s free standing, so it does not lean against anything for support. It weighs 2 pounds and 10 ounces (1190 grams). Besides the cardboard base, it is made of only stiff paper and tape. Every marble takes between 90 and 115 seconds to reach the end.

Andrew has more videos of his roller coasters (one at the 2012 World Maker Faire where visitors helped built it), as well as templates for sale and a gallery of student-made projects at PaperRollerCoasters.com.

Thanks, Andrew.