Exploring the Relationship between the Landscape, Olfactory Stimuli and Mood through Virtual Reality

Using mood as a stress indicator related to participants’ mental health status, this study focuses on the effect of scent in a campus landscape using virtual reality.

To meet the relationship between scent and mood in the landscape, half of the participants were exposed to a scent.

For the odor stimulus, the scent of gardenia was chosen for this study. While the scent of gardenia on mood induction has not yet been used in a research context, it was chosen for this study due to the potential mood-enhancing benefits of floral scents and to its familiarity in Georgia, where the study took place. Essential oils, whose ingredients are extracted from natural sources, can accurately replicate the selected fragrance.

Participants interacted with a virtual environment portraying a college campus that was built and modified in the modeling program SketchUp and then shown through the rendering and VR software Enscape.

Bird’s eye view of the campus virtual environment.

The results of this study have significant implications for landscape architects. By understanding how natural smells can be used for mood regulation, designers can incorporate strategic aromatic plantings to create more immersive spaces that support the well-being of the users. Designers must consider the olfactory, visual, auditory, and tactile aspects of the built environment because our senses work together to influence how we perceive, and respond to, the multisensory atmosphere of the spaces in which we live, work, and play.

Exploring the Relationship between the Landscape, Olfactory Stimuli and Mood through Virtual Reality

Emerging studies suggest that natural smells may maximize the healing power of nature. However, smell remains one of the least understood senses related to people’s health and well-being when considering the design and planning of the outdoor physical environment.

Using mood as a stress indicator related to participants’ mental health status, this study focuses on the effect of scent in a campus landscape using virtual reality.

Team

Morgane Coleman 
Jessica Fernandez, Ph.D.
Pai Liu, Ph.D.
Prof. David Spooner
Shirin Rezaeimalek
Ryan Fernandez

Presentations

2023, Fernandez, J., George, B., Summerlin, P., Liu, P., Coleman, M. Best Practices for Implementing Virtual Reality in Landscape Architecture Education. CELA, St Antonio, TX.
2023, Coleman, M., Fernandez, J. Exploring the Relationship between the Landscape, Olfactory Stimuli and Mood through Virtual Reality. CELA, St Antonio, TX.

Publications

Coleman, M., Fernandez, J., Liu, P., Rezaeimalek, S., Spooner, D., Yang, R., Fernandez, R. (In Progress). Virtual Escapes for Mental Health: The Mood-Shifting Effects of Immersive VR Landscapes on Young Adults. 

In Collaboration with

Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, CN
Utah State University, Logan, UT