Post -57 -Gautam Shah
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These blogs were originally published at https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/
INDEX
1875 ODOUR CONTROL in ENCLOSED SPACES
1749 SMELL MECHANISM and SPACE
1711 SENSE of SMELL
1647 SMELLS as HERITAGE
1640 URBAN SMELLS in ANCIENT PERIODS
1509 MECHANICS of PERFUMES
1498 SMELLS -intangible property of tangible heritage
1484 SMELLING SPACES and PLACES
1471 SENSE of SMELL
1347 SPACES and SMELLS
1200 SMELLS and SPACES
1083 SMELLS and SPATIAL IMAGES
1067 SMELLS and SPATIAL EXPERIENCES
918 SMELLING the SPACES
696 SMELLS and IDENTITY of a PLACE
665 SENSING the SPATIAL SMELL
587 SENSE of SMELL
449 SPATIAL SMELL BRANDING
399 SMELLING the SPACES
1875 ODOUR CONTROL in ENCLOSED SPACES https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2024/12/24/1875-odour-control-in-enclosed-spaces/
Odour control: Odours occur and persist in all types of enclosed spaces. Odours are generated by materials, processes and human occupation. Confined spaces such as underground car parks or basements, garbage areas, passages, etc. have poor air-change. Offices where coffee, snack and meals are allowed in work zones have greater degree of air fouling. The odour can be controlled through basic three methods: Greater dilution with fresh air, Finer scrubbing of odours, and Larger exposure to natural sunlight UV rays.
Odours from surface finishes, cleaning compounds, treatments applied on furnishings and degeneration of plastics, etc. are controlled best by proper selection rather then any processes. Human skin scales, biologically degenerate very fast, and it is a major problem for spaces with large human traffic. Here again regular vacuum cleaning is the best method, but for this smooth and hard floors, in place of fibre or synthetic carpets are required. Odours of slightest measure are detested by first time visitors. However, masking an odour with deodorant is only delaying the effects of odours.
Air-conditioned spaces retain moisture and trapped odours in the enclosed spaces, once the plant-unit is switched off for the closing time. This trapped air petrifies, if the closing period is extended over holidays. For this some micro or passive ventilation is required during off periods.
1749 SMELL MECHANISM and SPACE https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2024/06/07/1749-smell-mechanism-and-space/
Spatial definitions, accompany with most of the sensorial exposures, except in case of smell. Spatial experiences arise from the shape, size and scale of a space. Sensorial exposures like, visual, audio and tactile can define a space. But smell alone cannot define a space. The smell as contrast, is governed by the conditions of the environment, typically, through the direction and distance.
The source is not very important part of what we perceive in a smell mechanism, except, when the direction of the source is aligned with the effects of environment, such as the breeze. A space through its configuration and openings allows localized concentration or dilution of smell forming elements (the enzymes or particulate matter).
Spaces and Smells, both are real, and also manifest in remembrances. Remembered smells get associated with the spatial qualities. Or other way around, spaces do get branded by the smells. Similarly, cultures, personalities, places, objects, etc., bear real or remembered images of the smells, and sometimes also, carry comparable qualitative characteristics of the spaces.
The smell generating elements are of three types, degeneration of materials, acts inhabitation and biological functions of the body. Coding or identification of smell is difficult, because all the three factors add up in innumerable combinations and concentrations. The process gets further complicated when the sources are located beyond a space or distributed across a space.
1711 SENSE of SMELL https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2024/04/01/1711-sense-of-smell/
Smells contribute, feel good, bad or unconcerned experience. The difference is sensed similarly or differently by individuals, social groups, or communities. The smells result from space use. The architecture of the street and the buildings, both have a role in smell acknowledgment.
The sense of smell is strongly related to cooking of foods (including preparation, consumption and disposal) and fuels. The smell-sense occurs due to the weather (moisture, rains, breeze) and other causes are, menu changes within the house and cultural differentiations across the neighbourhood.
Sense of smell is culturally ingrained. In Japan fish-marine smells are considered part of the cultural identity, and so, heritage. Every region and community have such preferences, which offers security and comfort.
Our own smell can impact our emotions and interpersonal relationships, as much as inhabitation smells can define our behaviour. Smell remembrances are more efficient than visual clues or memories, formed through other senses. Smell related impressions are more emotional and takes one back to the past happenings.
In confined indoor spaces, the concentrations of smells increase many times, due to lack of fresh air for dilution and also deposition (surface absorption) of the odourants. Continuous exposure of the few smells, can cause distress, but this can recover. The fatigue of smell can be reduced by (in terms of effectiveness) ventilation, opening out for sun-light, repainting, change of soft furnishings, floor scrubbing, and replastering. Use of the odour-suppressants, are not very effective.
1647 SMELLS as HERITAGE https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2023/12/06/1647-smells-as-heritage/
‘Turn around a street corner and the place has different visual and aural scale. But it is the change of smell that marks the space.’ This old adage is no longer true for modern urban spaces. The smell-based geography remains insignificant concept. The present urban scenes, has mixed population, universal life style, ducted air and moisture management systems, the use of non-fossil fuels (like electricity), factory-cooked foods, etc.
Urban Place making has preferential treatment for the visual, aural and tactile effects and no or synthetic odours. As a result a space offers no local or current experience and no exclusive remembrance. Current smells were once related to selling, processing, cooking and consuming foods in shops, restaurants or homes. Such experiences were implanted over local spaces, architecture and other consumables. And in the modern scene, the smell remains intangible and ephemeral phenomena. Places with distinctive smells and related built patterns are disappearing. Just as places and smells, are getting lost, no reasonable methods of archiving the smells are defined.
Japanese Ministry for the Environment through a survey listed 100 most important smells of Japan (including ancient woods, sea breeze, sake distilleries and a street lined with bookshops) This was a cultural legacy ‘to be handed down to the children’.
1640 URBAN SMELLS in ANCIENT PERIODS https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2023/11/23/1640-urban-smells-in-ancient-periods/
High urban density zones have had many common issues, like fouling of the living environments. The basic issue has been the growth beyond the commutable (and manageable) distance, resulting in high density zones in the centric areas. Many bounded or controlled urban areas have uncontrolled peripheral settlements of mixed ethnicity, where no regulations or cultural ethics prevailed. Other causants have been inadequate water supply paralleled with sewage disposal system. Lack of solid waste disposal and debris management.
5th C BC Sophocles describes Thebes as, ‘heavy with mingled burden of sounds and smells, of groans, hymns and incense’. Nero’s Rome was full of the stench of refuse rotting by the wayside, the piercing fragrance of burning myrrh from the temples, a heavy aroma of foods being cooked in the street, sweet seductive scents of flowering gardens, the malodour of rotting fish, sharp smell of urine from public latrines, and incense trail of passing procession’. -Aroma: The Cultural History of Smell. By Constance Classen, David Howes, Anthony Synnott (Routledge, 1994).
‘Our urban smell environment once comprising open sewers, open heaps of garbage, animal excreta, meat-fish shops, slaughterhouses and factories near residential areas, diesel vehicles and exotic foods. The smells are linked with the density of population, social and economic conditions of the community, distribution and proportion of open spaces and orientation and patterns of street layout and climate of the place. For these reasons, it is common to see connections drawn between unpleasant smells (the definition of which is also contentious) and poverty and specific ethnicity. Urban geographical isolation of communities through political machinations has the basis in smells and related social and religious prejudices’. From URBAN SMELLS by Gautam Shah (Blog site DESIGN ACADEMICS).
1509 MECHANICS of PERFUMES
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2023/04/06/1509-mechanics-of-perfumes/
Perfume (Latin perfumare =to smoke through) is a mixture of fragrant oils or aromatic compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents. Modern perfumes are mix of at least three compounds, each with a distinct character, rate of evaporation and intensity of affectation.
Top note or head note begins to be effective on application (due to smaller and lighter molecules that evaporate faster), and the process can last up to 15 minutes. The top note usually consists of some unfamiliar, weird, unpleasant, exotic or spicy smells. This helps to divert the attention from the nominal conditioning, like, personally used smells of soaps, shaving cream, hair-oil, body deodorants, foods one nominally consumes or, are prepared at home, smell of things we use like books, foot-wear, some fabrics and synthetics and the neighbourhood or atmosphere. These first note offers an unusual diversionary impression, do not last long to generate ‘saturated memories’.
The middle or heart notes are secondary, very emotive and appear after 3 to 4 hours due to slower rates of evaporation. These seamlessly take over any of the residual effect of top note and form persistent experience.
Base notes form the thematic mark of the perfume. The compounds forming these are typically rich and deep. Examples of base notes include tobacco, amber and musk. Base notes stick stubbornly to the body and clothes and often transfer themselves to elements of environment like upper section of the room-space, static corners(less air movement areas), fabrics, skins etc.
‘Odour-evoked memories are more emotional, associated with stronger feelings of being brought back in time, and have been thought of less often as compared to memories evoked by other cues’. Smell Your Way Back to Childhood: Autobiographical Odour Memory by Willander, Johan & Larsson, Maria (2006).
1498 SMELLS -intangible property of tangible heritage
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2023/03/22/1498-smells-intangible-property-of-tangible-heritage/
Smells define familiarity with the space, place and people. It affects emotionally, psychologically and physically, influencing the way we engage with our routine life and remember it. At some stage its intensity and spread identify the culture. Smell has strong connection with the location, orientation, density of buildings, street layouts. Odours induce a strong identity of local nature. The smell changes across neighbourhoods, because each place has different air flow, visual and aural scales.
5th C BC Sophocles described, Thebes as ‘heavy with mingled burden of sounds and smells, of groans, hymns and incense’. Nero’s Rome was full of stench of the refuse rotting by the wayside, the piercing fragrance of burning myrrh from the temples, a heavy aroma of foods being cooked in the street, sweet seductive scents of flower gardens, the odour of rotting fish, sharp smell of urine from public latrines, and incense trail of passing procession. –Aroma: Aroma, The Cultural History of Smell (Book by Constance Classen, David Howes, Anthony Synnott).
‘Smell is an intangible property of tangible heritage.’ This tangible heritage cannot be faithfully reenacted in a different time-space setting. The smell has cultural significance for a place, but cannot have history to mark. Due to the intangible and ephemeral nature of odours, one of the main challenge oF olfactory heritage.
Japanese Ministry for the Environment through a survey listed 100 most important smells of Japan (including ancient woods, sea breeze, sake distilleries and a street lined with bookshops) This was a cultural legacy ‘to be handed down to the children’.
Smell is ignored by urban planners even while recognizing redefining the edges of existing neighbourhoods, and throughly while designing new ones.
1484 SMELLING SPACES and PLACES
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2023/03/02/1484-smelling-spaces-and-places/
The environments, we dwell, are suffused with smells. We, however, rarely realize its quality, intensity or direction, till some change in one or all three aspects occurs. The realization of ‘different smell’ also occurs through recollections, about the place. Such remembrances, from the past are of events and of personal encounters.
The personal encounters of smell remain latent but recur as soon as a ‘similar’ is sensed, alternatively, we feel the ‘absence of smell’ in some spatial conditions.
The Space experiences relate the form, scale and size conditions. The Place is perceived for its occupancy and environmental effects. Both space and place, are real. Built spaces have smells of their own, whether it is an unused relic or inhabited entity. Similarly, places carry imprints of inhabitation.
For design considerations, visual, audio and tactile experiences can define a space. Smell, alone cannot define a space, but it can endow a sense of belonging to a place.
No one has smelt the outer space. Astronauts cannot open the space suit to smell it. But when they come back to the space module, (after a moon walk or outer repairs), they report, (due to the change in ‘place’), smells like burnt gunpowder, metal, welding fumes, burned or fried steak, an acrid aroma, etc. Similar smells are experienced when they come back to earth and begin to breathe fresh air.
A smell is basically a molecule that’s light enough to float in the air, although not every molecule that’s light enough to float in the air has a smell. The phenomenon of smell is space and place related as much as time related. The smell experience relates to first encounters or introduction, when the change is noted, saturation period, and the fading period due to acclimatization or substitution.
1471 SENSE of SMELL
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2023/02/11/1471-sense-of-smell/
Olfaction is sense of smell, It relates to smells like, our own odours (genetic, hormonal, metabolic activity), emanating from our surroundings (foods, materials), personally induced aromas for masking (deodorant, scents, perfumes) and spatial dousing or infusions for branding.
Our own smell can impact our emotions and interpersonal relationships, as much as ‘external’ smells can define our behaviour like compatibility and tolerance. Another aspect, of the smell clue, is its triggering of memories and recollection of associations (or familiarity), Smell remembrancers are more efficient than visual clues or memories formed through other senses.
Sense of smell is closely connected to taste. But what we consider ‘food flavour’ is substantially a matter of smell.
Smells have been used to add the extra dimension to the space. Aroma-Rama or Smell-O-Vision, in 1950, were attempts to associate smells with the film projection. Similarly, e-commerce promoters and video gamers, wish to include the sense of touch with the smell.
Sportswear giant Nike has a signature scent (by Ms Goldworm) for their selling spaces relying on ‘the smell of a rubber basketball sneaker as it scrapes across the court and a soccer cleat in grass and dirt’. Ms Goldworm, says ‘for space branding you must differentiate your brand emotionally and memorably.’
One can develop a meticulous sense of smell, by sensing the location, direction and distinguish the smell by recollections. We are unable to exploit the nose, due less striking and diversity in smells. We also allow visual feed to override the sense of smell.
1347 SPACES and SMELLS
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2022/08/18/1347-spaces-and-smells/
Spaces and Smells, both are real, but strongly happens as reminiscences (anamnesis).
A spatial experience arises from the shape, size and scale of the space and definitions aided by visual, audio and tactile perceptions. Here the source or object, are part of the mechanics of perception.
The smells originate from materials of space-building and habitation (including processes of consumption and conversion) and spread with the environment. The connections, between the place of origin and the smell perception, are fairly uncertain. A space, however, through its configuration and openings allows concentration or dilution of smells.
For design, visual, audio and tactile experiences can define a space. Smell alone cannot define a space. Sense of smell is ingrained with the space. We recollect the smell in the context of visual and audio qualities of the space and environment. It is impossible to imagine smell of a place from surrogates like audio, photograph, video or descriptions.
Smell experiences are related to the sufficiency of breathable air and for edible things, with taste in the mouth. The tastes and smells’ combination can be favoured, even in absence of clear space definitions. Smell of fish in the open markets, some like it others detest it. Smells have reminiscences, of which some are universal, and others, emotional (person or culture specific).
1200 SMELLS and SPACES
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2021/12/24/1200-smells-and-spaces/
For Design considerations, we strongly rely on the spatial definitions. These consist of shape, size and scale of the space, and are aided by the environment. The visual, audio and tactile experiences can define a space, but the smell and taste cannot characterize a space. Both, though, emerge with the environment of the space.
The smell generating elements are of two basic types: Materials of building space and the Habitation. The built spaces have smells of their own, whether these are unused or a inhabited entity. Once we smell something in a space, the recollection of the particular situation is powerful, but lasts only for a while. The source is not a definitive part in the smell mechanism, unless it is directly connected.
Awareness of smell is related to spatial remembrances. Such recollections do not have any specific character, but rather as in-descript phenomenon, like, good, bad, pleasant, annoying etc. Remembrances of smell are in association with other things like the presence of people and other beings, objects, visual and audio qualities of the space, activities, aeration and the age of space (state of surface finishes).
It is difficult to imagine smell of a place from representations like audio, photograph, video or description.
Our spatial experiences relate to two environmental conditions, the air and moisture. Both continuously vary due to air currents formed by the temperature. Smells have a connection to feel good or bad aspect of a space. And this varies with the communities. A lay person, however, cannot separate out the space, environment and its smells.
A space, through its shape configuration and openings allows concentration or dilution of smells. Smells also change with environmental conditions, like it is fairly effective in dry and cool conditions, but higher temperature and moisture can cause a subtle petrification.
1083 SMELLS and SPATIAL IMAGES
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2021/07/24/1083-smells-and-spatial-images/
Smell is substantially environmental and less of a spatial experience. Our spatial experiences with smells are substantially environmental. Smells change with environmental conditions, and the conditions of the terrain-layout and its composition are basic to the experiences of smells.
Smells have a connection to the feel good or bad aspect of a space, and this makes smell a spatial phenomenon. Axial layouts and large volume spaces encourage air change, this is easily distinguished by lay persons.
Intensive engagement and temporal over-exposures to good or bad smells, are traumatic due to the insufficiency of breathable air. Smells form dislike for the space-environment and cause loss of comfort, well being, concentration, productivity and appetite. The sense of smell is a basic element for comfort though influenced by experience, expectations, personality and situational factors.
Once we smell something, the recollection of the particular happening and its spatial setting, including involvement of others is powerful. Smell is related to spatial remembrances, but not as a single phenomenon. We tend to associate the physical (spatial) conditions such as the source of smell, rather then the classification*. In confined indoor spaces the concentrations of odours increase many times due to lack of fresh air for dilution. The sense of smell gets fatigued, but one can recover, if the causant is removed.
It is difficult to imagine smell of a place from representations like audio, photograph, video or description. Other sensorials clues like, visual, audio or tactile can be envisaged, but smells must have an imprint in memory.
‘Studies show that humans can distinguish about one trillion odours. Smells are part of culture and belief systems. In spite of the vast ability to distinguish one smell from the other, it has not been possible to formally define that into some rational classes. *We do not have any plausible vocabulary for different smells, it still evades the definition. An actual space with the interlaced environment lets one to predict or recall comparable smell-conditions’.
1067 SMELLS and SPATIAL EXPERIENCES
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2021/07/05/1067-smells-and-spatial-experiences/
We can scale and measure a space, individually, through Visual, Aural and Touch experiences. But Smell alone cannot define a space. A space emerges through shape, size and scale, but the smell relates to the environment of the space. The smells are rarely single and the mix may originate at different times and locations. To complicate the perception, the space through its configuration and openings, allows concentration or dilution of various components of the smell-mix.
The smell generating elements are of basic three types: The style of habitation, materials constituting the space and quality of environment. The built spaces have mixed set of smells, whether it is an inhabited entity or an unused relic. In confined indoor spaces, due to lack of fresh air for dilution, the concentration of odours increases manifold.
Smells, good or bad, are associated with insufficiency of breathable air. Smells cause discomfort, and the feel good or bad aspect of it varies from culture to culture.
Sense of smell is strongly founded in remembrances of the space. The recollections, subconscious, subtle or obvious are in association with other things like the visual and audio qualities of the space. Memories of odours are significantly more intense and evocative, then those recalled by the visual or audio cues. A lay person, however, cannot separate out the space, environment and the smells.
The smell ‘habituation’ or sensitivity and ability to perceive the smells are unique to each person. The capacity to discriminate odours, reduces with exposure and age. Smell remains a primal sense. It impacts relationships with people, liking for places, foods, and products. The sense of smell enables pleasure, can subconsciously warn of danger, help locate mates, find food, or detect predators.
918 SMELLING the SPACES
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2020/12/15/918-smelling-the-spaces/
One cannot separate out the space, environment and its smells. The role of some architectural components typically, openings and volumes are basic to the living with the smells. Our spatial experiences with smells substantially involve environmental conditions. We can distinguish about one trillion odours, but in real conditions, the smells many pose as a mixed profile. The smells, present themselves in different strengths and sequences.
Aristotle has classified the odours in Seven categories: aromatic, fragrant, alliaceous (garlic), ambrosial (musky) hiricinous (goaty), repulsive, and nauseous. We do not have any plausible vocabulary for different smells, instead, we tend to identify the source of smell, rather then its class, like egg, meaty, floral, nutty.
The relationship between the smell and environmental conditions are not easy to separate, to recall or recreate. Smells change with environmental conditions, like it is more effective in dry and cool, but higher temperatures cause smells to feel more pronounced as it spreads further. The spatial conditions like social company position, postures are unlikely to be the same, and our bio-physiological conditions like the mood, immediate past exposures, needs, are different.
Intensive engagement and over-exposures to good or bad smells, are traumatic due to insufficiency of breathable air. Smells form the dislikes for the space-environment and cause loss of comfort, well being, concentration, productivity and appetite. The sense of smell is a basic element for comfort though influenced by experience, expectations, personality and situational factors.
Sense of smell is related to spatial remembrances, but not as a single phenomenon. We recollect it, in association with other things like the visual and audio qualities of space.
Smell branding of spaces serve many different intentions like: familiarity, reliability, loyalty, memorability, consistency of identity, productivity, promote sales, provide sense of well being, inculcate safety-security, thematic alignment, etc.
696 SMELLS and IDENTITY of a PLACE
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2020/03/09/696-smells-and-identity-of-a-place/
Historically, the urban ‘smell environment’ has rarely been a pleasant one. The smells were intimately linked with the density of population, social, economic conditions of the larger section of the community, distribution and proportion of open spaces and patterns of street layouts or their orientation and climate of the place.
Urban communities have been ghettoed in geographical isolation through political machinations and have been the basis for smells and related social, religious and ethnic, prejudicial identities.
The smell-based identity at community level has been more of visitors’ perception, as the local residents are smell habituated. In 5th C BC Sophocles describes Thebes as ‘heavy with mingled burden of sounds and smells, of groans, hymns and incense’. ….. Nero’s Rome was full of stenches of refuse rotting by the wayside, the piercing fragrance of burning myrrh from the temples, a heavy aroma of foods being cooked in the street, sweet seductive scents of flowering gardens, the malodour of rotting fish, sharp smell of urine from public latrines, and incense trail of passing procession both the quotes from -Aroma: The Cultural History of Smell.
It is now accepted that smell of is an identity of a place and so co-branded with tourism. It is tangible heritage and must be preserved with the place. There is a fear that unless the totality of living and environments are allowed to flourish, or the smells will disappear. A place of built-forms but without the original smell is meaningless heritage. Smells in open spaces are also determined by plants and flowering or fruit bearing cycles. Orangeries (inside the estate gardens) were a fashion in many cities to suppress the stench of urban life.
Japanese Ministry for the Environment, and recorded and recreated, but smell of a place is variable and circumstantial such as ancient woods, sea breeze, sake distilleries and a street lined with bookshops). These were cultural legacy ‘to be handed down to the children’.
665 SENSING the SPATIAL SMELL
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2020/01/24/665-sensing-the-spatial-smell/
A spatial experience arises from the shape, size and scale of a space. Smell emerges from some chemical reaction, which in turn is a sign of some form of degradation of materials. The strategies of smell removal include control of moisture and degrading agents (typically sulphur), avoiding use of materials with shorter life-cycles (such as formaldehyde, chlorine), materials that continue evolution (polymerization and decomposition) in ambient environmental conditions.
In living conditions, the role of some architectural components, typically the openings and volume are basic to the perception of smell. A space through its configuration also allows concentration or dilution of smell forming elements. In a confined indoor space the concentrations of odours increase many times due to lack of fresh air for dilution. The sense of smell gets fatigued with such intense and continuous exposure. This is beginning of physiological and physiological side-effects. Sense of smell, however, can recover, once the stimulus is removed.
Some environmental conditions, like temperature, moisture and air movement (direction, intensity and volume) condition the spread of smell and experience to be more pronounced.
Smell mainly emerges from the environment of the space. Our spatial experiences with smells are substantially environmental. An actual space with the interlaced environment lets one to predict or recall comparable ‘smell-conditions’.
587 SENSE of SMELL
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2019/10/23/587-sense-of-smell/
The sense of Smell is basic element for feeling of well being. It is strongly affected by the experience, expectations and situational factors. The emotions associated with smell are culture-specific and often historical preferences and prejudices.
The smell is an associative phenomenon. It is the most powerful memory trigger. The presence or absence of smell acts as an indicator that something is lacking in the environment and so possibly unsafe, or the location is assuring and safe.
The replacement of smell, by fresh air (ventilation) or masking, both offer some sense of well-being. Dilution with fresh air is adding the quantum of breathable air. Similarly adding a fragrance is masking the unwanted odours to create a specific ambience. Masking can be intensely offensive and even sickening. Engagement with a smell could be spatially intensive and long-lasting exposure. Both are traumatic.
Smell is a culture specific phenomenon and usually associated with actual location. The smell of rotting fish as associated with seashore or shop is savoury but with garbage dumps, it is not favourable. The smells spread and diminish fast, so seem seamless. But there is subconscious effort to trace its source.
Enclosed spaces retain the smells and so have strong capacity to arouse emotions of goodness or repulsiveness. But in open commercial or public spaces the effects are more subtle, with a less emotional content. Neighbourhoods carry such subtle content, obvious only to the casual (infrequent) visitors.
Smell branding of commercial spaces, offer subtle, but exclusive environment. Offices, trade-booths in exhibitions, fashion-shows, large format retail outlets, hotels, automobile showrooms, metro UG stations, passenger air crafts, form their own olfactory environments. These are apparent only when we visit such places again or go to some other outlet.
449 SPATIAL SMELL BRANDING
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2019/05/04/449-spatial-smell-branding/
Of the common sensorial perceptions, Olfactory function directly relates to emotion and sense of well being. The emotions are, some universal, others culture specific but mostly associative. The smell is seamless, and if ‘neutral’ in effect, there is no acute need to trace its source.
An incense in church, temple or mosque may add devotional fervour, but one infused in commercial and public places, is more subtle, masking with a less emotional content.
Smell Branding is very common in foods, beverages, medicines, soaps and edible consumables. It is now common in paints, apparels, books, periodicals, shoes, consumer white goods like ACs, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.
Smell branding of such spaces, serve many different intentions like: familiarity, reliability, loyalty, memorability, consistent identity, productivity, promote sales, provide sense of well being, inculcate safety-security, thematic alignment, etc.
“Today, Hyatt Place’s signature scent can be found in almost 300 hotels across the U.S. The scent is such a proven brand asset that it has been codified as a brand standard that defines the company’s experience and brand personality”. -https://hbr.org/2018/04/inside-the-invisible-but-influential-world-of-scent-branding
399 SMELLING the SPACES
https://designsynopsis.wordpress.com/2019/03/05/399-smelling-the-spaces/
We do consciously or subconsciously smell spaces. It is one of the important scales to ‘sense-experience’ spaces.
Smell could be pleasant, abhorrent, in-discernible or mixed. But there are no objective codes to define and often exactly replicate the smell. Our smell related experiences are very short lived and not amenable to ‘recording’.
Smells of foods are closely associated with the taste. Smell has little association with the visual experiences, except the real presence (garbage) or absence (flowers) of certain spatial conditions. Sceneries as pictures do not tell us any thing about the smell of the place. Description about is a subjective statement, because smells have a tendency to get diffused and affects everyone differently.
Conscious realization of smell does not dimensions a space, unlike many other senses like vision or hearing can do it. There is an identity of location, but smell is mostly pervasive, and so direction cannot be accurately marked.
Tactile experiences have little connection with the smell. Smell grades a space to be healthy or sick. We do register space experience in connection with the smell of the place. Once we re-smell the same situation, we recollect the place.
Smell is part of our living, but its distinctiveness does not remain with us. The recollection occurs after an interlude of other exposures. The ethnicity of a place is formed by the lifestyle of the people, flora, fauna, terrain and environment. In cities that distinctiveness may seem garbled, but the local terrain and environment are unique for each place and so the smell.
In living spaces the smells are intentionally diffused, filtered or masked for a smell-neutral place. Family kitchens, the most intensive place for smell experience is less used. And as everyone across the world uses the same technology the blandness spreads.
When astronauts return from space walks and remove their helmets, they are welcomed-back with a peculiar smell. An odour that is distinct and weird, something, astronauts have described it, like “seared steak.” And also like a “hot metal” or “welding fumes.” https://www.theinfographicsshow.com/what-does-space-smell-like/
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DESIGN ACADEMICS 