Woven Voxel

Danish designer Emilie Palle Holm completed her master’s degree in textile design at The Swedish School of Textiles with ORIORI, a Jacquard-woven reinterpretation of origami. The graduation project earned her several design awards, as well as a residency at the TextielLab, where she could further experiment with industrial weaving machines. Alongside contributing to commissions for other designers and artists, she began developing a new project of her own: WOVEN VOXEL.

The project explores how two-dimensional woven surfaces can be transformed into three-dimensional forms. At first glance, the textiles, made from cotton, polyester and wool, appear to be entirely flat structures, but appearances can be deceptive. Their remarkable layers and depth are revealed as Palle Holm cuts, unfolds and suspends the woven pieces along carefully selected lines.

Palle Holm almost always begins her designs with paper models. These allow her to visualise how a woven structure can gain an additional dimension once it comes off the machine. Her innovative approach impressed the weaving experts at the TextielLab and also caught the attention of the museum’s curators.

The exhibition Makersgeheimen #4, on display at the TextielMuseum until 15 June 2025, presented the different stages of her design and making process.