Forget 52 pickup. When Bryan Berg knocked down his tallest house of cards, he had 124,800 to deal with. It took him 2,400 decks and 80 hours to build the 25-foot tower, which toppled more than 10 of his previous Guinness world records.
Berg started stacking cards when he was 8. In the 21 years since, he's crafted card replicas of Ebbets Field, a Japanese shrine, and numerous cities. The hobby has become lucrative for the Iowa State University lecturer in architecture: Appearances at state fairs, galleries, science museums, and corporate events earn him an extra six figures annually.
James Chiang
Ace architect: Bryan Berg builds domes, skyscrapers, and whole cities of cards.
The technique, Berg says, isn't that difficult. In his new book, Stacking the Deck, Berg recommends using a textured surface on the floor, such as carpeting or particleboard, for the base, and a basic four-walled cell to build up. "There's no set way to go, like there is with Legos or Lincoln Logs," he says. Bicycle's cheap Pla-Mor cards with a matte finish are Berg's preferred medium (no tape, glue, folds, or notches allowed), and he's spent tens of thousands of dollars to support his 5,000-decks-a-year habit.
The best part of the process? Knocking stuff down. "I usually find I could have used a third less cards and gotten the same results." He says his favorite agent of destruction - a leaf blower - even lets him study his buildings' reactions to wind. But honestly, there has to be a certain appeal in making a mess.
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