Green Typolgies: Scented Landscapes
The seminar “Scented Landscapes” is a research-oriented, experimental seminar that develops methods for analysing and representing scent as a landscape layer. Building on the urbanist concept of “smellscapes”, it explores scent both as an analytical framework and as a design parameter in landscape architecture. While the discipline has traditionally prioritised visual perception, olfactory qualities remain largely underexplored. This seminar approaches scent as a spatial, ecological, and experiential dimension of landscape. Through fieldwork, scent walks, mapping exercises, and experimental representation techniques, students develop methods for capturing, describing, and visualising olfactory phenomena across scales—from individual plants to landscape contexts. Ecological processes (emission of volatile compounds) and human perception (experienced scent) are considered in parallel, leading to the ability to analyse and engage with scent within landscape architectural design.
Readings, excursions, and interdisciplinary perspectives broaden the methodological scope. The seminar emphasises experimental approaches, critical reflection, and the integration of scent into landscape analysis and design thinking, culminating in the development of a small-scale scent atlas.
The seminar is aimed at students of landscape architecture, architecture, and urban design (bachelor's and master's) who are interested in a transdisciplinary approach to landscape architecture.
IMPORTANT: Participation is limited to 20 people. An introductory task to be completed before the start of the seminar serves to select participants and ensure a thorough engagement with the topics. More information will be provided after registration via TUM-Online.
Module:
Green Typologies
LV-Nr.: 0000003183
Lecture 6 ECTS / 4 SWS
MA Landscape Architecture
MA Architecture
MSc Urbanism – Urban and Landscape Studies and Design
BSc Landscape ArchitectureMA Landschaftsarchitektur
BA Architecture
Location:
Room 2350, Munich, Main Campus
First Date:
Thursday, 16.04.2026
Tutoring:
Thursdays, 14:00 – 18:00
Teaching team:
Lumi Kirk, M.A.
Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig
Language:
English
Contact:
lumi.kirk(at)tum.de
© Alice Sandberg Oberdorfer, Dariia Tolstanova, Sofiia Yushchenko
© Alice Sandberg Oberdorfer, Dariia Tolstanova, Sofiia Yushchenko
© Alice Sandberg Oberdorfer, Dariia Tolstanova, Sofiia Yushchenko
© Brunet Sacha, Meurant Florine, Simoni Mirko, Valtolina Siria
© Brunet Sacha, Meurant Florine, Simoni Mirko, Valtolina Siria
© Brunet Sacha, Meurant Florine, Simoni Mirko, Valtolina Siria
© Bachmaier Anna, Cao Rui, Tang Kai, Maass Jonathan
© Bachmaier Anna, Cao Rui, Tang Kai, Maass Jonathan
© Bachmaier Anna, Cao Rui, Tang Kai, Maass Jonathan
© Penelope Jannik, Vanessa Karaminkova, Alessia Rossetton, Valentina Zampini
© Penelope Jannik, Vanessa Karaminkova, Alessia Rossetton, Valentina Zampini
© Penelope Jannik, Vanessa Karaminkova, Alessia Rossetton, Valentina Zampini
Scented Species Journal
As part of Green Typologies: Scented Landscapes, each student developed an individual smell journal documenting selected scented plants and their olfactory characteristics.
The journals combined photographs, species information, location data, scent descriptions, fragrant plant elements, hedonic scales and further observations. Through this format, students explored how scent can be recorded, compared and translated into a more systematic way of reading landscapes.
Each journal followed a personal approach, resulting in a diverse collection of plant-based scent profiles. To protect personal data, the names of the students who authored the presented works are not publicly available.
