Rhizome is a term used to describe the relations and connectivity of things. A hyper-connected structure that appears to be an emergent organisational form in complex systems.

“Rhizome” referring to a relation like that of roots. They spread underground with no direction, no beginning, and no end. They are dispersed. It is opposed to the idea of a tree which has a starting point, and from there branches out in a predictable path.

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The pattern repeatedly emerges throughout natural and designed systems:

features/aspects:

  • hyperconnected
  • acentered - no centre / starting point
  • evolving/changeable — growing/dying/branching/forking/strengthening/pruning
  • heterogeneity - differing things can connect - any rhizomic structure can connect/extend/define sections of any other rhizome
  • (self-similar at differing scales)? …