About
Suzel Balez is Professor at Grenoble National School of Architecture and researcher at Cresson (UMR CNRS 1563), a research unit affiliated with Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, ENSA Nantes, ENSA Grenoble, and Centrale Nantes. As an architect and engineer scientist, she teaches in the discipline of construction, engineering, and ambient control, specializing in the sensory aspects of architectural and urban environments.
Professor Balez has established herself as a leading expert in olfactory atmospheres, with her HDR focusing on the olfactory experience of places. Her research bridges architecture, urban studies, and sensory ethnography, developing the concept of 'odorant effect' to understand and design situated olfactory phenomena. She examines how materials, air circulation patterns, and spatial configurations collectively shape our sensory experience of places, moving beyond simple cataloging of smells to develop practical frameworks for intentional olfactory design.
Her recent publications reveal an increasing engagement with ecological dimensions of sensory experience, particularly evident in her 2024 book 'Fragrances architecturales' and her involvement in the 2025 'Glossaire Sensible / Écologie' project. These works synthesize contemporary knowledge on relationships between places and odors while proposing keys for spatialized olfactory design that addresses environmental challenges.
Professor Balez is actively involved in the International Ambiances Network and regularly presents her work at international conferences, including the 5th International Congress on Ambiances in Lisbon (2024), where she conducted workshops on smell walk cartography. Her research has practical applications across architecture, urban planning, museum curation, and commercial design, providing tools for professionals seeking to thoughtfully incorporate sensory considerations into spatial experiences.
