Rhyzoom

Beech, Maple, Baltic Birch, Twine, Rosewood

Rhyzoom is a dynamic wooden toy designed for children experiencing trauma, developed in collaboration with Emily Carr University and Power of Play. The name draws inspiration from the rhizome, an underground network of roots that grows horizontally, connecting and supporting new life. This idea reflects the project’s focus on the subtle connections between play, healing, and nature.

Working with wood allowed us to emphasize warmth, tactility, and resilience, creating an object that feels grounding while still inviting curiosity. The toy features a dual-wheel mechanism in which the inner wheel rotates at a different rate than the outer one. As the wheels spin, layered cutouts create shifting patterns of color and motion, producing an engaging visual effect that rewards interaction.

Through material, movement, and form, Rhyzoom explores how play objects can support both curiosity and emotional comfort.

In collaboration with Samantha Fuller and Declan Roberts.