Kate McLean-MacKenzie is creating an atlas to map the world’s urban “smellscapes”.
The project explores how cities are experienced through scent, not just sight or sound.
Working at the University of Kent, McLean-MacKenzie began the work 15 years ago.
She noticed that smell was missing from how people record and share experiences.
Her research involves “smell walks”, where participants record scents, intensity, duration, and emotional associations.
The data is transformed into visual maps and cultural narratives.
More than 40 locations have been mapped, including cities across Europe, Asia, and North America.
The results are subjective, focusing on personal stories rather than fixed definitions.
McLean-MacKenzie says smells reveal hidden layers of urban life and memory.
She hopes the atlas will become a historical record as cities and technologies change.
The project also encourages people to engage more deeply with their surroundings.
Her message is simple: slow down, notice the air, and smell the world around you.
