Design Map · Eindhoven
Segmented Evolution
Graduation project by Tommy Metz at Design Academy Eindhoven, 2026. Shown during Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven on Design Map, location F5.
The segmented bodies of arthropods allow new structures, forms and functions to evolve through repetition. Tommy Metz translates this principle, known as metamerism, into a series of objects made from steel spikes. Derived from the same basic shape but produced in varying sizes, each spike is bent by hand and spot welded into a segment. These segments are then repeated and combined to create mirrors, a clock and a ceiling lamp that feel organic and insectoid without copying any particular creature. Light catches the many steel surfaces, casting shifting reflections and shadows that emphasise their layered construction.
Displayed together, the objects appear both familiar and slightly unsettling, balancing sharpness with delicate craftsmanship. Their repeating structures evoke exoskeletons evolved for armour and weaponry, revealing how simple segments can grow into complex forms.