JOURNEY

  • img link

  • THE RHIZOME APPROACH

    Design holds immense power in shaping sustainability—and at Rhizome, this belief is our foundation. To understand sustainability not as a trend but as a rigorous, actionable discipline,our founder, Rebecca Reubens extended her design education at NID with a PhD in sustainability from Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.

    During this research, she developed The Rhizome Approach—our proprietary, holistic framework that integrates social, cultural, ecological and economic dimensions into every design decision. It is the lens through which we create work that is refined, intelligent & future-ready. We draw inspiration from the behaviour of a rhizome: adaptive, interconnected, and resilient. Our systems and products are designed to be part of larger, interdependent networks—each element capable of standing alone, yet enriched through its relationships.
  • img link

  • HOW RHIZOME BEGAN

    Rhizome was founded in 2009, as India’s first multidisciplinary sustainability design studio. After seven years working across Asia, Africa and Europe in the international development sector, Rebecca returned to Ahmedabad with a clear insight: The sustainability models of the global north did not translate to the lived realities of the global south.

    Where the north relied on metrics and quantifiable ecological data, much of the global south was still grappling with fundamental human needs. Rhizome was created to bridge this divide—by developing sustainability solutions that are contextual, technically robust and culturally grounded.

    In 2022, she was joined by Col. Rohit Tyagi, who brought more than two decades of operational leadership from the Indian Army and management training from MDI Gurgaon. If Rebecca provides direction, Rohit provides momentum. Together, they have shaped Rhizome into an organisation able to scale its philosophy, not just its projects. Today, Rhizome operates at the intersection of expertise and imagination, designing for a future that acknowledges complexity rather than simplifying it.
  • img link

  • WHY RHIZOME

    Our name reflects both our material origins and our intellectual influences. Rebecca’s early work with bamboo introduced her to the remarkable intelligence of rhizomes—underground stems that grow horizontally, sending out roots and shoots, constantly linking and regenerating. This became our metaphor for design: a decentralised, evolving network that thrives on connection rather than hierarchy.

    The concept also draws from A Thousand Plateaus by Deleuze and Guattari, whose philosophy frames the rhizome as flexible, adaptive and endlessly generative—qualities we believe contemporary sustainability design must embody.

  • img link

  • PRINCIPLES THAT SHAPE US (adapted from Deleuze & Guattari)

    • CONNECTION & HETEROGENEITY
      Every element can and should connect meaningfully with another.
    • MULTIPLICITY
      True complexity has no single centre; it is a constellation of layers and relationships.
    • ASIGNIFYING RUPTURE
      Systems may break, but intelligent design ensures they can regenerate or evolve.
    • CARTOGRAPHY, NOT TRACING
      We build maps—dynamic, responsive and open—rather than fixed, repetitive structures.
  • img link

  • BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE!

    In 2009, embracing holistic sustainability felt radical. It lacked the visibility, urgency and vocabulary it has today. But Rebecca trusted the science, and the studio trusted the vision.

    Rhizome began with conviction: that design could move systems, shape behaviour, and shift futures. Fifteen years later, this conviction continues to guide us. Every project—large or small—is an act of belief that change is possible, and that mindful design matters.
  • img link

  • CRAFT, DESIGN & SUSTAINABILITY

    We work where craft, design and sustainability intersect—because we believe that truly transformative solutions emerge from multidisciplinary intelligence. Our approach goes beyond eco-design. We consider sustainability across all four dimensions: social, cultural, economic and ecological.

    This is why our work feels both grounded and elevated—technically informed, culturally sensitive, and aesthetically resonant. Our work goes beyond form. We design with intention. We prototype relentlessly. We collaborate with craftspeople, scientists, and industries to push what people and materials can do—whether it’s metal, wood, bio-based composites, or textiles.

    This is contemporary Indian design with a point of view.
    Rooted in heritage, shaped by research, and refined for clients who value meaning as much as mastery. Rhizome creates luxury that is responsible, bespoke, and unapologetically future-facing. At Rhizome, we don’t just design responsibly. We design futures worth inheriting.

GET IN TOUCH

 Have a project or idea to discuss? Email us at info@rhizomedesign.co and our team will help bring your design vision to life.

CONTACT