The theme Rhizome is a tool for renewing thinking and changing the way we see the world around us. The theme was chosen since it holds potential dealing in creative ways with the ecosystems, biodiversity and social aspects of the current society. We want to ask how to challenge the current ways of building carbon intensive structures in cities designed for consumption on the expanse of nature and society. Rhizome is a metaphor for something non-hierarchical and heterogeneous, a system that embraces change. It works as a tool to examine the links of architecture, power structures and ecology and is deeply rooted in the interconnectedness of each of these phenomena.
Originally the idea came to us from the work of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari and we wanted to ask how it can be applied to various aspects of architecture, built environment and design. In addition to Deleuze and Guattari we have been reading a lot around the theme and below you can find a reading list we have gathered for those interested.
Readings
Introductory texts
Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari – A Thousand Plateaus
Recommended chapter: Introduction: Rhizome
The post-structural philosophy behind the concept of ‘rhizomatic thinking’, the text is a little difficult, and not mandatory for understanding rhizome as a theme, easier and more accessible readings are listed below. Read if you are into philosophy.
Anna Tsing – Mushroom at the end of the world
Lots of great chapters to read! The way Tsing uses the matsutake mushroom to link together landscape, capitalism and commodity chains is very interesting. Also concepts of diversity, contamination, scale and assembly are well explored here.
Yasmine Ostendorf – Let’s become fungal
Chapters: Teaching one – How to become fungal (pages 14-39) AND Teaching seven: How to escape categorization (Pages: 168-182)
Easy read with concrete examples on how we can learn from fungi. Includes ideas from indigenous artist, curators, feminist and mycologist.
Texts about human/nature dichotomy
Beatriz Colomina and Mark Wigley – Are we human?
Chapters: 1, 4 and 14
Thought-provoking take on what it is to be a human. Has design taken us and our bodies beyond humanism, or is it the very thing that separates us from everything else?
Lucia Pietroiusti (ed.) – Microhabitable:
Chapter: Un-commoning nature: Stories from the Anthropo-Not-Seen, Marisol De La Cadena
A story about indigenous woman refusing to sell their land. Interesting analysis on human/nature relationship and our right to nature. Key words: Resistance, landownership, belonging.
Emanuele Coccia – The Life of Plants: A Metaphysics of Mixture
A beautiful book about how plants shape our world, their necessity for human and other life on earth and it’s philosophical implications. Quite a short read, start from the beginning and see how long you wanna go.
Clara Oloriz Sanjuan – Landscape as a territory
Chapter 7 Making maps: Cartography, Territory, Modernity (p. 92-102)
Chapter 11 Going to Ground: Agency, Design and the Problem with Bruno Latour (p. 150-158)
Rather academic text but very insightful. The text explains clearly the problematics of cartography and presents alternative mapping for reclaiming representation. Chapter 11 discusses networks and embedded power relations between different agencies.
Donna Haraway – Staying with the trouble
Chapter: Tentacular Thinking: Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Chthulucene
key concepts: Anthropocene, sympoiesis, making-with
Robin Wall Kimmerer – Braiding Sweetgrass
Cozy read with beautiful language. Indigenous knowledge merging with scientific frames.
Lighter related texts!
Lea Zeitoun, from Glastonbury to the Venice biennale: exploring mycelium’s architectural potential
Text can be found here.
Elise Vanden Elsacker, Mycelium matters – an interdisciplinary exploration of the fabrication and properties of mycelium based material
Veeeery throughout PhD thesis fungi based lignocellulosic composites and their architectural possibilities. Includes practical guide on how to grow fungi to replace fossil fuel-based building material.
Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms can help save the world
Variety of perspectives on how to utilize the fungi.
Merlin Sheldrake – Entangled life
Mind-altering study of the world of fungi: everything from how mushrooms shape our forests to how they can shape our minds. If mushrooms aren’t that familiar a topic to you very recommended. Nice to read before bed.
Lecture: How to make a rhizome
In October 2024 we have been organizing and event called Regenerative Futures: Rhizomatic thinking and architecture. The event programme included lectures related to the theme of Rhizome, and we recommend the lecture below How to make a rhizome (out of the concept of rhizome) by Pontus Purokuru for those who want to dive deeper to the theme. We especially recommend watching the lecture for those who are planning to run a workshop in EASA Rhizome <3
Thematic events
To familiarize the participants of EASA Rhizome with the theme before the event we are organizing some events before summer 2024. We have already organized a workshop called Rhizomatic Structures as a part of the EASA Shanzhai event where we familiarized ourselves with texts about the theme. You can read more about it here.
In October 2024 we are organizing and event called Regenerative Futures: Rhizomatic thinking and architecture. Event is organized in Helsinki 1.-6.10. and is open for everyone.
And finally, in January 2025 we will host the intermediate tutor meeting, ITM, for those who are planning to run a workshop in EASA Rhizome. The event is organized in Savonlinna and will explore the theme in relation to the local context. More info about that can be found on this page.
