![]() Brooklyn Museum: Joan Jonas Glass Puzzle ![]() Wine Exhibit: “Smell Wall” Conception d’exposition, Design culinaire Daniela Urquijo BA Design for Branded Spaces WOW Spring Blog SIP AS A NEW AGENCY The experience resembles a journey in which one has to expose oneself to a danger (Han and Steuer, 2018) Hello, my name is Daniela Urquijo, a Designer for Branded Spaces currently immersing myself in the realm of sensory experiences in spatial environments. Come with me as I unpack what my Self-Initiated Project conveys and how it has shaped the designer I am now. My SIP delves into the interplay between scent, self-reflection, and immersive spaces. This project acts as a platform for people to navigate within themselves. But how? Throughout this SIP, I am exploring the concept of my “New Agency” - sensory contexts, and by the end of this blog, I aim to contextualise the project in a broader discourse. In the area of multisensory design, the concept of agency takes on a new dimension for me as a spatial designer. Traditionally, scent has represented identity, however, I envision this project as a stimulus to ignite reflection in the participants that develops into re-connection to their essence, in other words, I have taken the autonomy to craft participant’s sensory narratives through a dome-shaped interactive structure, film projection, and a manifesto in the form of a booklet. Pivotal in this practice is scent, which, unlike visual or auditory stimuli, is a strong medium that suggests emotions in a unique way. By integrating this as a stimulus in a structure, I invite participants to interact and focus on each scent and get immersed in a personal journey of introspection. Retrospection becomes a core aspect, inspiring participants to embrace their identity and uniqueness. Once the incentive is given, the experience is mainly driven by the participant’s imagination and their personal journey. SIP as a Distinctive Practice As a Design for Branded Spaces student, I have been able to explore and dissect multiple aspects of architecture, interior design, marketing strategies, spatial environments… Although in my SIP we can find traces of all of these, retail spaces are an ideal combination of my disciplinary interests. Designing retail environments involves experiential design, consumer behaviour and sensorial focus. By working throughout the year, my interest in designing sensory narratives through spaces arose and became the research focus of the project. Unlike conventional design projects focused on sensory experiences, this project delves deeper into the psychological dimensions of olfactory engagement. I have obtained new insights and skills. I have learned how to carry out adaptive research such as specific scientific information. I faced struggles when finding relevant design precedent research, or material exploration, however this made me dig deeper into the existing research. Part of the knowledge I obtained shows how to materialize ideas, concepts, and feelings into a physical tangible space in a fast-paced time. Being challenged helped me get out of my comfort zone and find new ways. Moreover, by making participants' emotional well-being the top priority, my SIP goes beyond conventional design methods. It offers a profound investigation of personal identity and agency within spatial environments by promoting self-exploration and reflection through sensory experiences, going past simple aesthetics or traditions. Positioning my practice pre-graduation, I can identify a clear direction or focus area that I can work in. Considering cultural and political aspects, discussions surrounding mental health and the growing societal focus on self-care and wellness resonate with my SIP, giving it relevance in this time and place. As mentioned earlier, the project’s objective, responds to this cultural shift by offering a platform to explore emotions, free from societal judgement. Socially, my design focuses on the requirement for accessible and inclusive experiences. I place a high priority on creating designs that satisfy a broader range of users, allowing room for trial and error and project improvement. It’s about providing equal opportunities and ensuring that individuals with visual impairments, hearing impairments, motor disabilities, or cognitive challenges can navigate and interact with your products or services seamlessly (kumar, 2023). By embracing inclusivity, my ideas foster a sense of belonging and empowerment among participants. During this complex design process. I have identified focus points that I resonate with. This fascination in a way, informs my future briefs and positions my work along the lines of creatives such as Sissel Toalaas, her work dives into the synergy between scent and identity, accommodating a variety of installations designed to provoke diverse emotions. Her creation “Smell Memory” encouraged visitors to inhale scents and record feelings (Theo & Amelia, n.d.). Another project that could be associated to my work is the immersive piece Tree Virus, scent machines that recreate the woodland aroma within a gallery setting (www.peterdecupere.net, n.d.), by Peter de Cupere, an artist who explores the relationship between smell and spaces (Theo & Amelia, n.d.). These align seamlessly with my disciplinary interests and research focus, particularly in the context of my current proposed thesis question. To sum up, my Self-Initiated Project serves as evidence of the potential of multisensory experiences in promoting a sense of self. This project explores the connections between the olfactory system, self-love, and spatial design. It also adds to the growing conversation around immersive design. If I were to extend this project further in the future, I would carry out deeper research into specific scent notes, what they mean and how they affect the human brain to increase effectiveness in the experience. I'm dedicated to using the power of the senses to build memorable experiences as I continue my path as a designer. After all of this I should ask, would you want to participate? Bibliography Han, B.-C. and Steuer, D. (2018). Saving beauty. Cambridge: Polity Press. Johnson, A. (2023). Changes in depression, anxiety and stress over two decades. [online] NIHR School for Public Health Research. Available at: https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/changes-in-depression-anxiety-and-stress-over-two-decades/. Kumar, S. (2023). The Power of Accessibility in Design: Creating Inclusive Experiences. [online] Medium. Available at: https://uxplanet.org/the-power-of-accessibility-in-design-creating-inclusive-experiences-9149ba2f5ef9. Theo & Amelia. (n.d.). Olfactory Art Installations: A Feast for the Senses. [online] Available at: https://theoandamelia.com/blogs/experiences/olfactory-art-installations-a-feast-for-the-senses [Accessed 15 Apr. 2024]. www.peterdecupere.net. (n.d.). PTDB-Tree Virus in the exhibition ‘EXOTEN’ | Peter De Cupere. [online] Available at: http://www.peterdecupere.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16:exoten&catid=1:exhibition-news&Itemid=98 [Accessed 15 Apr. 2024]. ![]() Perfume Museum in Dubai A legacy from the Royal Nomads ![]()
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