a complex network of rhizomes
Image courtesy: Boney K

Book: A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia
Author: Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari
Chapter: I- Rhizome

Rhizome: A horizontal, underground plant stem capable of producing the shoot and root systems of a new plant. (source: www.britannica.com)

Rhizome by Deleuze and Guttari is abstracted by relating it with multiple phenomenons. As per the book Rhizome is multiplicity connected to each other in vivid manner along the plane of consistency. A rhizome is something without a beginning or an end, without any sort of hierarchy, non-linear and with multiple entry and exit points. Rhizome is anti-arborescent model. An arborescent model is something which develops around central core or has central nucleus. Hence rhizome has no privileged center and has bigger dimensions than any arborescent model. This rhizome connect in bigger dimension and in multiple ways with different variety of elements to form assemblagesThese assemblages can be categorized into two main types (a) machinic assemblages: which deals with social and material flows (b) collective assemblages : which deals with sign or linguistic flows.

Further Deleuze and Guttari give introduces principles of rhizomes in order to understand its specific characteristics

1) Principle of connectivity: The rhizome can be connected at any point in any manner. It does not require a specific origin. its collective and continuous.

2)Principle of heterogeneity: What is connected can completely be two different things. Any rhizome connects in heterogeneous manner. Further explained through example of wasp and orchid, where male wasp is attracted to orchid as central part looks like female wasp and hence engages itself in transference of pollen from one to other. similarly is the case with viruses, it carries genetic information and travel from host to host. hence wasp and orchid, viruses and its host connect to form a rhizome

3)Principle of multiplicity: Any rhizome can be multiply connected in varied manner to form acentered, asubjective, interwoven network.

4)Principle of asignifying rupture: A rhizome may be broken but will start up its own lines or new lines by interconnecting and multiplying in a heterogeneous manner. Hence a rhizome can never be destroyed. And it is not necessary that broken rhizome follows similar characteristic once connected to other from a ruptured end. For example a line of ant, if one tries to break the queue within few time it will again form new queue and not be necessary it is the same path as earlier, but will try to regenerate itself. Further explained through the concept of deterritorialization- Where newly designed multiplicity is re-coded with different set of functions rather than following what it was originally designed for. For example the computers were initially designed to perform arithmetic calculation but now its used in varied fields. Thus function of computer is deterritorialized and now reterritorialized for multiple function in varied fields. hence here the function of computers act as rhizome.

5) and 6)Principle of cartography and decalcomania: A rhizome is more like a map, one can enter at any point an exit at any point, its never ending multiplicity. A map is never fixed but its constantly changing. Hence rhizome is map of complexities which can never be traced. As it does not have single point of origin which can be traced back, but a complex network with multiple entry and exit points.

Left: Kazimir Severinovich Malevich’s Suprematism,
Right: Hafenstrasse Office and Residential Development by Zaha Hadid | Hamburg | 1989

image courtesy:
left: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kazimir_Malevich_-_Supremus_58.jpg

Right: http://archilibs.net/2013/04/21/hafenstrasse-office-zaha-hadid/
The book itself behaves as rhizome as any chapter can be read in any manner. It does not follow a specific format. Such model is interactive as well as intriguing. Such phenomenon can also be understood through various architectural movements. For example new movement of deconstructivism in architecture emerged through literary writings of french philosopher jacques derrida who emerged new branch of deconstructivism in literature from constructivist literature. Also Russian constructivist and futurist art movments inspired architects like Zaha Hadid and coop Himmelblau both in their graphics and geometrical forms.

Article: Architecture of Atmosphere
Author: Mark Wigley
Publisher: DAIDALOS-Architecture Art Cuture
Issue: June 1998
The Author co-relates the ambiance or function of a space with its atmosphere. Every building has its own atmosphere formed by physical form, sensuous emission of sound, heat, light smell etc. A series of intangible phenomenon generated by stationary object. He also throws light on how representation of drawings helps in determining the atmosphere of a building with example of F.L.Wright’s falling water, where he represented sky, trees and motion of flowing water clearly defines the atmosphere of a building. He also points out object of decor plays an important roll in defining atmosphere of architecture. For example a big hall with chairs and stage creates an atmosphere of auditorium. He also focuses on importance of creating atmosphere architectural education.

It can be inferred that it is very unclear who creates the atmosphere of particular space, Architect ?, object of Decor ? Occupants? or the urban fabric. Through certain examples of modern architecture it can be understood its a collaborative process. Creating an atmosphere all of these play an important role. An Architect’s drawing the first concept line for any project determines the atmosphere of building, Occupants being a part of space and adapting themselves to specific function determines atmosphere of space. The objects of decor defines the atmosphere and lastly the urban fabric, where the space is located in city space creates an atmosphere.

It can be understood through one of the examples of modern architecture. The Bilbao Guggenheim museum by Architect Frank Gehry was conceptualized from crumpled paper. A series of models to understand structure of building were created, also a series of computer tools were developed to bring the project to reality breaking the notion of box architecture. The project was located in industrial area near the river bank and dead in terms of activities. After the completion the space is revived and many other development took place. It also revived the river edge and generated recreational activities. The project act as synthetic gesture ( as mentioned in book Urban Design (edited by Alex Krieger and William S. Saunders) for overall development of area. Hence the building atmosphere revived the surrounding space. Similar is the case with the Oslo opera house by Snohetta, the building has specific purpose of housing opera house but on contrary it acts as recreational facility . The building and users both creates an atmosphere in this case. The drawing representation technique can be a determining factor in atmosphere of architecture. It can be understood by F.L.Wright’s falling water and Zaha hadid’s Irish prime minister’s house project. The earlier is more direct and allows observer to understand the space and environment within which building is located, a sense of climate, a sense of surrounding, on the other hand Zaha hadid defines bold strokes and defines it as more abstract art form. But now a days through modern computation and rendering techniques it is absolutely possible to imitate the atmosphere of space, under a given condition not to fake it.
And hence it would be interesting to research about how each of these individual i.e an architect, occupants, object of decor and urban fabric has specific role for determining the atmosphere of particular space