28.01.2026

Palo Santo: Natural aroma for rooms and planning

Building design

Modern architecture photographed by Raúl Mermans García - straightforward building in a contemporary style.

Palo Santo: Sounds like spiritual bells and whistles or an esoteric scented candle? Not at all. Between construction management and design, between render farm and real laboratory, a new, old material is creeping through the corridors of architecture – bringing not only smell, but also attitude to space and planning. Anyone who turns away now is underestimating the potential: Palo Santo is more than just a fashionable aroma. It is a symbol for sustainable spatial quality, for cultural appropriation and for the aspiration to finally think architecture sensually again – with all the consequences that entails.

Palo Santo as a trend material: origin, application and significance for architecture and interiors
Aroma as a tool: multi-sensory interior design and the underestimated power of smell
Sustainability or greenwashing? The ecological challenges of using Palo Santo
Digitalization, AI and sensor technology: how smells can be measured, controlled and experienced in smart buildings
The debate about cultural appropriation and global supply chains – from Amazonia to Zurich
Technical know-how: materials science, fire protection, indoor air and planning integration
What planners need to know to use aroma architecture responsibly
Visions and criticism: Is Palo Santo a harbinger of a new sensuality in building or just another hype?

More than just fragrance: Palo Santo as a stimulus for spatial perception

Palo Santo, the “sacred wood”, has been used as incense in South America for centuries. It promises purification, inspiration, even healing – but what does a piece of fragrant wood do in the context of European architecture? First of all, it challenges us to think of space not just as a visual-aesthetic, but as a multi-sensory field of experience. While lighting and acoustics have long been standard chapters in every competition entry, smell usually ranks alongside cleaning protocols and ventilation systems. This is a mistake, as it has been scientifically proven that the olfactory sense influences well-being, memory performance and even work productivity. In times when office space is competing with home offices and hospitality design is crying out for “brand experience”, the topic of aroma is gaining new relevance – and Palo Santo is becoming a pioneer.

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Palo Santo is no longer a niche phenomenon. From the boutique in Berlin-Mitte to the co-working space in Zurich, from the spa in the Tyrolean Alpine hotel to the lobby of the start-up campus – the characteristic, slightly sweet smoke is everywhere. What began as a lifestyle accessory is increasingly becoming a statement for spatial quality. Interior designers are using Palo Santo specifically to define common areas, to emphasize brand identities olfactorily or simply to improve the working atmosphere. While Scandinavian wood types score points with their tactile qualities, Palo Santo brings a new dimension to the table: the creation of atmosphere through controlled aroma. Suddenly we are no longer just discussing light temperatures and materials, but also fragrance profiles and their effect on user groups.

Sounds like a gimmick? Not at all. Research speaks a clear language: scents have a faster and more immediate effect on the limbic system than any color palette. Whoever controls the room scent controls emotions – and thus also the behavior of its users. In the hotel industry, differentiated scent concepts have long been used to create brand loyalty. In the office, a targeted palo santo fragrance can reduce stress or promote creativity. And in public spaces, a new field of inclusive planning is opening up: why not equip street furniture or waiting rooms with aromatic elements that are not only functional but also emotionally engaging?

However, it is also clear that the staging of Palo Santo remains ambivalent. There is a fine line between authentic materiality and marketing gimmick, between cultural respect and exoticizing appropriation. Anyone planning to use Palo Santo needs to know its origins, understand its symbolism – and be aware of the responsibility that comes with importing such a material. What smells of inspiring otherness to one person may be a symbol of greenwashing or even colonial romanticism to another. The question is: how much ethics is there in the aroma – and how much calculation?

Nevertheless, the return of smell to architecture is no coincidence. It is the logical consequence of a development that, after years of visual overload, is once again searching for wholeness. Anyone using Palo Santo today thinks of architecture not just as an image or volume, but as a process of perception. And that, despite all the irony, is progress that even the coolest BIM models can no longer ignore.

Sustainability or greenwashing? The dark side of the sacred wood

Palo Santo is a prime example of the conflicting aims of modern architecture: the desire for authenticity and sensuality clashes with the requirements of sustainable procurement and climate protection. The wood comes mainly from South America, particularly Peru and Ecuador. Demand in Europe has exploded in recent years – with consequences for ecosystems, local communities and global supply chains. Anyone using Palo Santo as a design statement should not be dazzled: The raw material is only ecologically justifiable if it comes from certified wild harvesting, the trees are not felled illegally and the value chain remains transparent. Anything else is folklore at the expense of biodiversity.

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, there are hardly any binding regulations on the import and use of Palo Santo. The market is fragmented, certification procedures are not transparent and monitoring supply chains remains a game of chance. While some retailers advertise with seals such as FSC or FairWild, proof often remains patchy. Planners are faced with a choice: either they trust the information provided by the suppliers – or they develop their own inspection processes to verify origin and quality. Anyone who wants to use Palo Santo in public projects should be prepared for discussions with awarding authorities and environmental protection organizations. Specialist knowledge is required here: Where does the wood come from? How is it harvested, processed and transported? What is the carbon footprint of the import?

The debate surrounding Palo Santo is therefore a lesson in how to deal with exotic materials in sustainable construction. It shows how quickly a well-intentioned detail can become an ecological burden. While local timber buildings rely on regional value creation and short transport routes, Palo Santo stands for the globalized trade in raw materials – with all its risks. The challenge is to combine the aura of the material with the principles of the circular economy and climate neutrality. This requires a critical examination of one’s own design decisions – and the courage to say no when the ecological footprint becomes too large.

At the same time, the discussion about Palo Santo opens up the opportunity to set new standards for transparency and fairness. Planners who take responsibility can question supply chains, examine alternatives and thus contribute to the professionalization of the market. Palo Santo is perhaps less a material than a touchstone for the credibility of sustainable architecture. Because in the end, it is not only what smells good that counts, but also what is ethically justifiable. Everything else is olfactory indulgence.

The consequence: anyone planning Palo Santo has to deal with ecology, ethics and globalization. This is uncomfortable, but necessary. Because this is the only way to turn a trend material into a contribution to sustainable building culture – and not just the next export hype from the jungle.

Digital buildings and the new sensuality: how AI and sensor technology orchestrate the aroma

Architecture in the digital age has long been more than just a CAD model or a BIM file. The next level of building intelligence involves the senses themselves – and therefore also the scent. Smart building platforms now integrate sensors that not only measure temperature and CO₂ content, but also detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs). What was previously considered a tool for monitoring pollutants opens up new possibilities: The targeted control of room fragrances is becoming a feature of digital building technology. Palo Santo can, at least in theory, be controlled in the same way as light or acoustics. The question is: do we want that?

Some pilot projects, particularly in Switzerland and Austria, are already testing digital fragrance systems that release aromas in a controlled manner – depending on the time of day, user profile or room usage. AI-based algorithms analyze user behavior, air quality and even the emotional mood in the room in order to optimally dose the aroma. This sounds like science fiction, but it is already a reality in high-end offices and luxury hotels. Palo Santo is no longer just burned by hand, but is now part of a data-driven room design. Architecture is being given a new, invisible level of control – and planners a new responsibility: how much control can sensuality tolerate?

However, the integration of aroma into digital building automation also raises critical questions. Data protection, user acceptance and health risks need to be considered just as much as technical interfaces. Who decides when and how Palo Santo is released? How are allergies, individual preferences or cultural differences taken into account? And what happens if the AI is wrong and the room smells of incense overkill? Technology is powerful, but not infallible – and there is a fine line between well-being and sensory overload.

For architects, this means that it is not enough to include Palo Santo as a nice gimmick in the utilization concept. Anyone who takes aroma architecture seriously needs technical expertise, an understanding of sensor technology and a critical eye for the possibilities of digitalization. The profession of planner is expanding to include the fields of spatial psychology, fragrance design and digital control. This is challenging, but also an opportunity to redefine the interface between technology and experience. The question is: who dares to plan the invisible?

This indicates a trend reversal in the global architectural discourse: A return to multisensory design – supported by AI, but not dominated by it. Palo Santo is just the beginning. The future of spatial perception will be orchestrated by algorithms, but experienced by humans. And despite all the enthusiasm for data and digital twin, this is progress that gives building back its sensuality.

Cultural appropriation, material science and the new ethics of planning

Hardly any other material polarizes as much as Palo Santo. There is a deep divide between its sacred origins and Western commercialization. For indigenous communities in South America, the wood is part of spiritual rituals, a symbol of healing and a connection to nature. In Europe, it has become a lifestyle accessory, a tool for staging spaces, a brand. This raises questions: Where does cultural exchange end and appropriation begin? And how can planners manage this balancing act responsibly?

In the DACH region, the debate is still young, but it is gaining momentum. While some designers celebrate Palo Santo as a sign of global openness, others criticize the unreflected import of cultural practices. The accusation is that the architecture makes use of symbols without acknowledging their significance – and thus reproduces colonial patterns. Anyone planning Palo Santo must address this criticism. It is not enough to stage the wood as an exotic detail. It requires respect for the origin, transparency in communication and sensitivity in dealing with cultural codes. Architecture is always a mirror of social discourse – and Palo Santo is a touchstone for the integrity of the profession.

Palo Santo also has its technical pitfalls. The wood is rich in resin, burns slowly and produces distinctive smoke. This places special demands on fire protection, ventilation and indoor air quality. In public or commercial buildings, the legal requirements are strict: open fires are only permitted in exceptional cases, automatic ventilation systems must compensate for smoke development and emissions must not exceed certain limits. Anyone using Palo Santo in interior design should fall back on alternatives such as diffusers or aromatic oils – even if this changes the authentic character. Engineering knowledge and creativity are required here.

The integration of Palo Santo into planning requires close coordination between design, technology and law. Materials science, ventilation technology, fire protection, sustainability and ethics merge to form a new skills profile. For architects, this means that anyone planning aroma must be able to do more than just look and function. It is about responsibility, transparency and the courage to communicate complex interrelationships – to clients, users and the public. Palo Santo is therefore less a material than a touchstone for the professionalization of the profession.

An international comparison shows that while countries such as the USA and Japan have long since developed their own standards for flavor architecture, German-speaking countries remain hesitant. The opportunities are great, the risks no less – and the responsibility lies with the planners. The question is not whether Palo Santo will come, but how we deal with it. Those who understand the material can design with it. Those who merely copy it will remain stuck in aroma marketing.

Conclusion: Palo Santo – between hype, attitude and new building culture

Palo Santo is more than just a room fragrance. It is a wake-up call for architecture to finally use all the senses again – and to take responsibility in doing so. Between trend and tradition, between digitalization and ethics, the sacred wood demands a new attitude in the planning process. Anyone using Palo Santo must combine sustainability, technology and cultural significance. The opportunities are great: new worlds of experience, differentiated user loyalty, innovative spatial concepts. The risks are also great: greenwashing, cultural appropriation, ecological collateral damage. In the end, it’s not the smell that counts, but the awareness of the consequences. Palo Santo is perhaps the most honest aroma of the present – and a touchstone for the building culture of tomorrow.

30.12.2024

Project

“Many say that the Wiese Landscape Park is the most beautiful place in the region.”

Building design

mediation and awareness-raising in the Wiese Landscape Park. Saskia Scherer

Most residents know it by the name “Lange Erlen”, others refer to it as the former Landesgartenschau grounds. Yet this park, which connects Germany with Switzerland in Basel’s Rhine bend, has a much more beautiful name: Landschaftspark Wiese, after the river of the same name that flows through it. The special thing about the park is that it is located on both German and Swiss soil. And it is the site of the IBA Basel, which has been successfully involved in cross-border projects in the border triangle of Germany, France and Switzerland for more than ten years. We wanted to find out more about this landscape park, so we spoke to the main ranger Yannick Bucher.

Yannick Bucher, together with two German colleagues, you have been working as a ranger at the Wiese Landscape Park since February 2019. How can we imagine your job?
The main task of our ranger service is to inform, educate and raise awareness in the Wiese Landscape Park. The latter means, in particular, that we ensure that visitors generally abide by the rules. We ensure positive interaction between visitors and stakeholders, and the area is used to extract the region’s drinking water and for agriculture. Ranger services are typical for national parks and also somewhat typical for nature reserves. What is rather special about the Wiese Landscape Park is that we are active in an area that is not just a nature reserve. There are also other uses here, such as sports facilities, animal shelters and allotments.






 


 


Organized guided tours: Head ranger Yannick Bucher ensures that visitors adhere to the rules of the landscape park. © Planning Office Canton Basel-Stadt / Photo: Silvan Aemisegger






 


 


The ranger service was introduced a year ago. One of ranger Yannick Bucher's main tasks is to provide information, educate and raise awareness in the Wiese Landscape Park. Saskia Scherer, Weiler Zeitung






 


 


Typical for national parks and nature reserves: Ranger services. The fact that ranger Yannick Buchers works in the Landschaftspark Wiese is special: the park is not just a nature reserve, but also offers other uses such as sports facilities, animal shelters and allotments. Saskia Scherer, Weiler Zeitung

Another special feature of the ranger service in the Wiese Landscape Park is that it is binational.
Absolutely right. The landscape park itself is binational. So it makes sense that the ranger service there is also binational, that it travels throughout the park and doesn’t have to stick to the boundaries. The Basel conurbation has grown considerably in recent years and leisure activities have changed quite a bit due to more flexible working hours. This has also increased the pressure on local recreational areas. The ranger service was introduced a good year ago to counteract the increasing pressure of use. That is why we are not only a supervisory body, but also have a mediation role. And these are also necessary.
The coronavirus pandemic has amplified the effect: we already had a lot of visitors to the park beforehand. Visitor numbers during the lockdown were far higher than normal. This shows how important the green recreational area close to the city is for the region.

I can imagine that. What does this mediation you mentioned look like in concrete terms?
We offer guided tours and also organize information tables. We try to raise awareness of what happens in the area, how drinking water is extracted and how agriculture works in the park. We bring topics to the table that city dwellers have little opportunity to experience and communicate them.

How is the ranger service organized?
We have three clients in total: the town of Weil am Rhein, the municipality of Riehen and the canton of Basel-Stadt. I am employed by the environmental consulting firm “Hintermann & Weber AG”, which received the contract from the city of Basel, and my two German partners are employed by the Trinational Environmental Center (TRUZ).

What measures have been implemented in recent years as part of the IBA Basel and which are still planned?
We ourselves, the ranger service, are one of the central measures of the IBA Landschaftspark Wiese project. As I said, we have been around for a year. There are also plans for uniform signage at the park entrances to provide information about the park, what recreational opportunities are available, but also what conditions are attached to them: that you can only light fires in the barbecue areas and that you take your garbage with you, etc. The basic rules. Just the basic rules. There will also be a themed trail in the park in future, which will highlight the topics of drinking water extraction, animals and plants, as well as the historical development.






 


 


Many people know the Wiese Landscape Park under the name "Lange Erlen". © Planning Office Canton Basel-Stadt / Photo: Silvan Aemisegger






 


 


In future, there will be a themed trail in the Wiese Landscape Park, which will highlight the topics of drinking water extraction, animals and plants, as well as the historical development. © Planning Office Canton Basel-Stadt / Photo: Silvan Aemisegger






 


 


In Basel's Rhine bend: Landschaftspark Wiese connects Germany with Switzerland. © Planning Office Canton Basel-Stadt / Photo: Silvan Aemisegger

But the biggest measure is “Wiese vital”, right?
Exactly, as part of a popular initiative in Switzerland, the Basel voters decided to revitalize and renaturalize the entire section of the River Wiese on Swiss soil. The lower section has already been revitalized, while a construction project is currently being drawn up for the other section. The aim is for the river to flow more naturally again and have more space.

You’ve been at it for almost 1.5 years now. What do you think, are the efforts on site sufficient to protect the Wiese Landscape Park from the pressure of use in the long term?
In my opinion, the most important step has been taken with the Landscape Master Plan. The area can now no longer be built over and I’m glad about that. Gentle means are now being used to protect the park’s recreational area. With signage, targeted information and also through us, the ranger service. I think we are on the right track. We are also receiving the same feedback from the public. Interest in the area is growing and what we are doing is appreciated. Many visitors say that the landscape park is the most beautiful place in the region. And there are always visitors who ask how they can help, who want to do something for the area. All of this together makes me very optimistic.

Why have we started an IBA Basel series? You can read about it here.

You can find all the articles on IBA Basel 2020 here.

09.12.2024

Trade

AVOS: Debut in the vineyard

Building design

“Avos”, the first work by young Austrian architect Oliver Steinbauer, is a family affair: he built the house for his brother in his grandfather’s vineyard. The name pays tribute to the ancestors. Around 60 kilometers from Vienna, on the southern edge of the Lower Austrian thermal spa region, stands a detached house surrounded by vines. The building, completed in 2018, is the first work of the young […]

Around 60 kilometers from Vienna, on the southern edge of the Lower Austrian thermal spa region, stands a detached house surrounded by vines. Completed in 2018, the building is the debut work of young architect Oliver Steinbauer. He designed the first concepts as a student for his brother, the client. After the death of his grandfather, he took over the family vineyard and his love of the winemaking trade. He dedicated his first red wine to his ancestors – avos in Latin. And it is precisely this name that Oliver Steinbauer’s architecture now bears: “Avos”.

The dark architecture blends almost tone-in-tone into the flat vineyard, taking a back seat – with a strong form and character. The façade emphasizes the grace of the cuboid building and visually divides it into two storeys: a large glass front surrounds the ground-floor living space on three sides, while the rest of the house is clad in charred larch. The windows are barely recognizable. Inside, the sculptural exterior of the architecture dissolves into a playful, open and bright spatial structure.

What is not visible from the outside are the split-level storeys, which divide the house into five half storeys both lengthways and crossways. The wine cellar is recessed into the ground to ensure optimum temperature control.

The architect developed the two key elements of the house – the open-plan living space and the split-level design – in close collaboration with his brother and sister-in-law. They discussed the concepts together Sunday after Sunday over family lunch. Different lines of sight and perspectives now play a key role in determining the spatial effect of the house. One of Oliver Steinbauer’s favorite perspectives unfolds as you enter from the four-meter-high entrance into the higher living area. Here, four pairs of black steel columns support the steel ceiling beams and structure the room together with the black window frames. With their even rhythm, these three structuring elements refer to the surrounding vines and integrate them into the living area.

In his search for a biological façade material, the architect came across the process of preserving wood through charring. “And so one thing actually led to another. It came out of the process,” reveals Steinbauer, who is often asked about this choice of material and color. At first, the family was skeptical. However, they now understand the reasons behind the decision and are very happy with the result. “A white plaster façade could never blend in harmoniously with the slope,” says Steinbauer. In contrast, the charred larch surrounds the architecture like a black velvety veil, while matt black portals inconspicuously frame the tall, narrow window openings and the entrance door.
In the evening hours, the house disappears almost completely into the veil, taking on the texture of the forest behind it and reducing itself to the illuminated living space like a pavilion architecture. It is a house with many perspectives.

Fresh out of university, his first project and a small budget: Oliver Steinbauer’s “Avos” came out of the starting blocks on the winners’ podium. The detached house was awarded gold in the “Excellent Architecture” category at the “German Design Award 2021”. “Avos” can also be found in the award publication “Houses of the Year 2020”. With the steadily increasing attention, the detached house has even reached the film industry: next summer, the house will be seen as a film location in a Tatort episode.

All photos: STEINBAUER architektur+design

Read here about the winning project of the “House of the Year 2020” award by Aretz Dürr Architektur.