The Smelly Tunnel

The Smelly Tunnel was an olfactory installation built for the Philadelphia Flower Show in FDR Park. The piece used scented mist to explore the healing power of nature.

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The show’s theme “In Full Bloom” prompted the Scout team to interpret the garden as a place for wellness, connection, healing, and passion for life. In reflecting on the difficulties brought on by the pandemic, the team wanted to create a piece that was grounded in playfulness, curiosity, and the memory of a simpler time.

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The immersive and colorful tunnel emitted a scented, cooling mist with smells associated with the color of each arch. Sense of smell is most closely tied to memory, and the three scents (lavender, citrus, and eucalyptus) are linked with relaxation and rejuvenation. The piece was a reminder to visitors to slow down, rest, and recharge. It is okay to find a place where you can be refreshed – like flowers, we will bloom if we take the time to water ourselves.

LOCATION

2022 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show

FDR Park

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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COLLABORATORS

Carl Durkow (Design & Fabrication)

Pauline Nyren (Graphic Design)

Sabbatical Beauty (Scent Advising)

MistStore (Misting System)