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| All images have been
used with permission. All images are copyrighted
and strictly for educational and viewing purposes. |
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How did you
develop your passion for stacking cards?
I was introduced by my grandfather when I was about
eight. He didn't teach me much but he certainly
got me interested. I've always had a mind for tinkering,
and cardstacking presented a welcome challenge.
Cardstacking has always been a very real miniature
architecture for me, requiring structural design
and a triumph over certain material limitations
(in this case cards). I can remember when building
two or three feet tall was a big deal, and I remember
a certain magic feeling as buildings got closer
and closer to the ceiling. These days, I don't get
that feeling unless I'm working on a 20-foot-tall
tower. All my buildings are very special to me,
but these days the thrills come from improving older
techniques or discovering new ones. I'm still learning
a lot about what I do and what is actually possible. |
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Do you consider
card stacking an art or a hobby?
Lots of different definitions exist for the term
"art". I guess my creations are "state-of-the-art",
at least in the little world of cardstacking. And
in that sense, I've made an "art" of it.
The very nature of cardstacking is artistic, because
it requires a certain artistic and creative energy
to pursue such an undertaking. Building a massive
house of cards is very much like painting a picture
or playing a musical instrument...it all comes out
of a need for expression. I also believe that cardstacking
is an ancient activity, as old as cards themselves. |
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We understand
that you're actually quite clumsy...
I am very clumsy. I am always dropping things, tripping
on things that do not exist, and always seem to
get trapped into doing simple things the hard way.
When I stack cards something happens however...I
suddenly have complete control and awareness of
my actions, and have a logical and concise way to
execute the structure at hand. I do prefer to work
in short sleeves and socks...as to keep track of
exactly where my body parts are. I've had some close
calls, but never any big disasters. |
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What's the largest
structure you've built?
Tallest: 25 feet; 2000 decks; Berlin, Germany; 1999;
two weeks to build; 250 pounds of cards; 27 inches
square at the base.
Largest: 3000 decks in the form of Cinderella's
Castle; Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida; 2004;
24 days to build; 12 feet square; 14 feet tall. |
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How many decks
do you get through each year?
It's hard to say...perhaps 5500 decks a year, sometimes
half as many, sometimes many more. |
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What's the secret
of building with cards?
I'm not sure there is a secret, but I can tell you
that two things really make it all possible. Those
two things are mass and repetitive geometry. The
mass comes from the massive amount of cards. About
seven decks make a pound. The heavier the building
the more stable it is. All the weight has to held
up by something, and that's where the repetitive
geometry comes in. Everything I build is based on
patterns. If you could somehow cut a section through
one of my structures you would see what looks like
a beehive. I have found ways to take a simple set
of patterns and manipulate these patterns into walls,
slabs, columns, and beams. I'm also able to choose
to show that structure or cover it in some way with
additional layers of cards. When you look at one
of my structures, some of it is exposed structure,
and some of it is just a skin sitting on tiny ledges
(like books on a shelf). I mentioned earlier that
I am always learning as I build, and it is important
to mention that I am always learning when I knock
them down as well. This is because no matter how
I knock them down (a leaf blower is a common tactic),
I am making observations on how much abuse various
portions of the structure can take before they collapse.
I find that, in most cases, my structures are quite
overbuilt, and this observation has given me the
bravery needed to stack them into higher and more
delicate creations. |
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Share your top
tips for successful card stacking.
1) Use cards that not so glossy (maybe even business
cards or recipe cards).
2) Work on the floor because a table will just wobble.
3) Don't build with the triangle method (yes, triangles
are the strongest shape, but only when you can force
them to remain a triangle).
4) Build with the cards on their sides and at right
angles to each other (forming little boxes).
5) Give it a chance, you didn't learn to ride a
bike in one day either. |
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For information about
Bryan Berg, please visit:
www.cardstacker.com |
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