Designers of society

There’s one thing that can instantly bring certain memories back to me. It can relax me, sharpen my focus, or make me feel uneasy. It isn’t food or drink, but it deeply influences taste. It reflects both the place itself and the living conditions of the people there. That thing is scent—an invisible, untouchable, yet undeniable presence.

Some scents trigger feelings tied to specific events, no matter how much time has passed—even when I can’t recall the images, the feeling remains vivid. The right room spray helps me relax before sleep. The smell of coffee in the morning sharpens my concentration for reading. Certain food aromas make my mouth water. And on the other hand, when I have a cold and lose my sense of smell, I notice how the taste of food and drink changes completely.

Have you noticed how suburbs with more affluent communities often carry a pleasant fragrance in the air? It might be from flowers, incense, candles, or simply clean air. I believe that once our basic needs are met, we begin to seek beauty through our senses—through art, fine wine, music, and even scent.

It would be such a shame if beautiful cities were filled with unpleasant smells, because those scents could become the lasting memories for first-time visitors. I believe we all play a role in shaping the sensory quality of our environment. In that sense, we are all designers of the societies we live in.