Olfactory Echoes investigates the impact of the climate crisis on olfactory heritage—a sensory dimension that remains largely unexplored despite the evident alteration of our natural landscapes. Utilizing biodesign and speculative design methodologies, Lucrezia Alessandroni explores how to preserve and reimagine this intangible legacy, centered around a pivotal question: how can we design fragrances capable of evoking Roman traditions threatened by environmental change?
The project focuses on historical practices currently facing extinction—such as transhumance, traditional fishing, truffle hunting, and viticulture—by developing microbe-based essences that capture their core identity. Field research integrates semi-structured interviews with farmers and fishers alongside “olfactory walks,” translating gathered data into laboratory protocols and odor preservation strategies.
By analyzing high-emission climate scenarios, Olfactory Echoes goes beyond merely documenting what is being lost; it creates a speculative archive of scents. The goal is to safeguard a community’s olfactory memory while simultaneously imagining its evolution and resilience within shifting ecosystems.
IN COLLABORATION WITH
Professor Carole Collet, Dr Alice Taylor, Dr Barbara Smith
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
British Council