Experimental Practices in Olfactory Design
Florence
ENG
Summer and Winter Courses
Language
English
Start date
June 2026
Frequency
Full time
Fruition
On campus
Duration
3 Weeks
Course Coordination
Ilaria Legato
Price
2.800 €
Discover the sense of smell as a language of contemporary design and a tool for multisensory experiences
The Summer Course in Experimental Practices in Olfactory Design offers students and young professionals the opportunity to explore scent not only as an aesthetic element, but as a medium capable of generating experiences, building narratives, and defining identities. The course combines creativity, research, and design to introduce smell as an innovative language applicable to design, art, fashion, and communication.
In the contemporary context of multisensory design, the ability to transform perceptions and emotions into immersive experiences is increasingly in demand. Florence represents the ideal location for this experience: a city with a rich artistic and cultural tradition, a center of excellence in design, visual arts, and sensory culture, offering students the opportunity to engage with innovative practices in an international setting.
The summer course aims to provide skills in olfactory composition, analysis of raw materials, design of multisensory spaces, creation of olfactory identities for brands or environments, and the conceptual translation of ideas into tangible sensory experiences. It is designed for students and young professionals from design, visual arts, fashion, communication, architecture, and cultural studies, even without specific experience in perfumery, but motivated to develop cross-disciplinary skills in sensory design and immersive experiences.
The summer course adopts a multidisciplinary and project-based approach, combining theory, practice, and experimentation. The methodology promotes active learning, with guided sensory exercises, workshops, visits, project work, and practical activities.
Key modules include:
· Olfactory Culture & Sensory Theories – introduction to scent as a cultural language and design tool, analyzing its role in perception, memory, and meaning-making.
· Materials, Techniques & Olfactory Composition – study of natural and synthetic raw materials and olfactory composition techniques.
· Olfactory Space & Multisensory Design Practices – design of immersive installations and multisensory environments.
· Scent Communication, Brand Storytelling & Curatorial Strategies – creation of olfactory identities and sensory communication strategies.
· Final Project Lab – development of a complete project, translating concepts and ideas into immersive olfactory narratives and experiences.
The summer course prepares participants for roles such as olfactory designer, brand experience designer, sensory curator, or immersive environment designer. Students acquire skills applicable across design, art, fashion, communication, and hospitality, integrating scent into experiential, artistic, and commercial projects. Florence, with its cultural and creative heritage, offers a unique setting to combine tradition and innovation in an international and highly stimulating environment.
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