Olfactory Architecture: Designing atmosphere through botanical fragrance and candle-making

Set within a laboratory perfume studio in the Nicholas Building, this candle-making workshop invites participants into an immersive exploration of scent and design. At its centre is the creation of a bespoke fragrance for a soy-based candle, blended from raw botanical materials and guided by the principles — and quiet alchemy — of perfumery.

Through thoughtful, hands-on experimentation, the workshop reveals how scent, like architecture or product design, shapes the way people experience and remember the world around them. Notes are layered, tested, and refined, each decision subtly shifting the atmosphere.

By bridging sensory exploration and creative intention, the workshop expands the idea of design beyond what is built or seen to include what is felt and remembered — the emotional legacy carried in the spaces and objects we create.

DATE: Saturday 16 May, 2026, 2pm – 4pm

DATE: Wednesday 20 May, 2026, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

DATE: Saturday 23 May, 2026, 2-4pm 

LOCATION: Nicholas Building, Melbourne

Spaces are limited so book your place now.

This event is part of Melbourne Design Week 2026, an initiative of the Victorian Government in collaboration with the NGV.