Design

The Perfume Park and Museum by Studio Symbiosis is planned as an integral part of the twin city agreement between the French town of Grasse and the Indian city of Kannauj

DEC 9, 2020 | By Aneesha Bhadri
The Perfume Park and Museum in its conceptual phase; Photograph courtesy Studio Symbiosis

Spread across a staggering 41.55 acres along the Agra- Lucknow Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, the Perfume Park and Museum is spearheaded by Amit Gupta and Britta Knobel Gupta of Studio Symbiosis. It revolves around a museum and skill development centre that celebrates the heritage of Kannauj, the perfume capital of India for over three centuries.

Here, artisanal families have been making perfume with the 30th generation still practising the craft. With this facility, the aim is to promote this ancient tradition and put a spotlight on the old perfumery town.

Equipped with specially landscaped flower beds and greenhouses that’ll be temperature and humidity controlled, the park will allow artisans to produce and study fragrances on site.

Inspired by the Fibonacci series, the layout of the museum unfolds in a floral shape with three petals (wings) stretching out over the flower beds. Each petal or wing accommodates a different aspect of the development—a museum, auditorium, workshop, souvenir shop and cafe.

The roof dips down in the centre, allowing visitors to access the roof, thereby creating a vantage point overlooking the flower beds radiating out in a fluid pattern.