Kate McLean-MacKenzie is on a mission to map how cities smell.
The University of Kent researcher is publishing an atlas capturing urban “smellscapes” from around the world.
McLean-MacKenzie says smell is largely missing from how humans record and share experiences.
Unlike images or sounds, scents are rarely documented or communicated.
Her work involves “smell walks”, where participants record scents, their intensity, duration, and emotional associations.
The data is used to create visual maps and cultural narratives of cities.
Since 2011, she has mapped 40 locations, including Paris, Glasgow, Kolkata, and Kyiv.
The maps are subjective and capture fleeting moments shaped by weather and movement.
Some descriptions are poetic, including one New York scent called “the smell of shattered dreams”.
McLean-MacKenzie says naming smells gives them meaning in everyday life.
She hopes the atlas becomes a historical record as cities change over time.
Ultimately, the project encourages people to engage more fully with their senses while walking.
