Globetrotting in the name of inspiration, Lee Suckling talks to the founders of creative initiative, Project Holo, in their London studio.

A creative initiative that starts with travel to one new country a year to create a unique piece of design, Project Holo focuses on the exploration of ideas and the process of generating exciting, diverse objects and furniture.

Now in its third cycle, the project was founded by Australian expat friends Christopher Thomas and Michael Travalia.

“Holo draws inspiration from a unique sense of place and the craft of the region,” says Michael. “We seek to gather a collection of experiences that blend an interesting combination of people, place and time, before sharing our findings through the resulting work and exhibitions.”

It all began for Christopher and Michael at the Nordic Artists Centre in 2007, and the pair subsequently decided to make it an annual event for the two of them.

“We both share a common passion for design and travel and by meeting each year in a new country, it was the perfect excuse to explore the opportunity.” 

After round number two in Germany last year, Christopher and Michael’s 2010 venture was to Morocco.

“The first two trips were about developing the true purpose for Project Holo and finding ways to collaborate,” says Michael. “By the time we got to Morocco, we had a much clearer purpose and approach.”

The result? Products that come purely from an ‘ideas perspective’, rather than being rooted in commercial objectives.

“That’s not to say some of the ideas will evolve into limited or larger scale production,” Michael adds. “But we would like to maintain the purity of this project as simply that.”

Project Holo
projectholo.com