Characterisation of an existing building according to olfactory parameters

International audienceOlfactory interpretation is, most of the time, the combination of varied physical, chemical, physiological and sociocultural elements of odour. The paradigm of olfactory effect is one way to express some of these combinations which are among the most typical in building environment. The olfactory repertory presented here corresponds to the modes of appearance displacement and disappearance in space of the odour. When the concept is transferred to a field study, with the "commented city walk" method specifically adapted to olfactory sensation, some interactions between building environment, odours and the user interpretations can be highlighted. Theses "olfactory configurations"describe olfactory phenomena in their connections with technical or architectural devices. They can be, in the end, considered as models to integrate odour in building conception