The Challenge: Studying and exploring ways of designing an urban smell map with clear layers of information.
The Urban Smellscape was a project that I undertook as an undergraduate student in 2014. Throughout a semester, I pursued an independent study with my interaction design professor, Asst. Prof. Asım Evren Yantaç, at Koç University.
The focal points of our study were map-making, spatio-temporal data visualisation, and representing intangible cultural heritage.
The Urban Smellscape was an ongoing project at the Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities, based on representing the different type of scents in an urban space. However the visual solutions they offered were not simple enough to represent scents in an easy-to-read manner. Therefore, I took on the challenge to study and explore ways of designing an urban smellscape with clear layers of information. My map design is still a work-in-progress.
You may find my work being showcased on the website of Interactive Information Design Research Group (Koç University).
I wrote a research paper collaboratively with my supervisor, Asst. Prof. Yantaç and a Master’s student, Özge Genç, on the urban smellscape and representations of intangible cultural heritage. You may access the paper at: “Location-based Visualization of Urban Experiences: A Case Study on Olfactory Data”
You may access another writing sample by me on the same topic by using the following link: “Location-based Visualization of Urban Scenarios and Information”
AN OLFACTORY MAP OF EMİNÖNÜ, ISTANBUL
The olfactory map below was created by a Koç University GSSSH (Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities) student, Lauren Davis. She based this map on a local exploratory stroll and research in Eminönü, a touristic and historical site in Istanbul. Each and every type of scent has been coded with a different color. However, there are too many layers of information in this version of the map, and the variety of colors make reading the olfactory data very challenging.
MY RESEARCH PROCESS AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
I started out by gathering information on the nature and the classification of smells. I jotted down the results of my research in my notebook.
The following works are my initial sketches, in which I explore ways of simplifying the smellscape, as well as representing different types of odors.
As I started to design a new urban smellscape, I determined 3 levels of information regarding the pleasantness of a smell: pleasant, neutral and unpleasant. I studied ways of visualizing scents, as well as representing them with different colors. I set this particular style as the base for my future sketches.
In representing three layers of smells, I associated each category with different colors, shapes and textures. Pleasant odors are represented by clouds of purple, while neutral scents (those that do not trigger a certain consciousness of the fact that we are smelling something) are visualized by blue, smooth lines. Unpleasant smells are indicated by sharp, flame-like structures that are drawn in green.
- Sub-categorisation Suggestions
The studies below indicate my explorations regarding the sub-categorisations of smells. My preliminary studies of the subject matter had presented me with methods and categories of odor assessment. For example, my research yielded keywords such as “fragrant”, “woody”, “sweet”, “fruity”, etc. in describing scents.
I came up with several patterns and textures based on the aforementioned keywords to integrate into my “pleasant odors” category. This way, one would be able to distinguish one type of pleasant odor from the other.
FINAL VERSION OF THE URBAN SMELLSCAPE
While this urban smellscape remains as a work-in-progress, and is constantly open for development, this is the most up-to-date version of my olfactory map. It currently aims to offer solutions on how to visualize a crucial element of intangible cultural heritage.
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