Key points
Top: citrus and green
Bergamot, yuzu, grapefruit, green leaf and fig leaf. Bright and crisp: the contemporary first impression.
Heart: floral, tea and spice
Osmanthus, jasmine, white and green tea, cardamom. The character people sense as they move through the space.
Base: woody, amber and musk
Sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, hinoki, amber and clean musks. The settled, often old-world backdrop.
Fragrance families, and where they sit in a composition
Perfumers group fragrances into families by their dominant character. Families also tend to sit at particular levels of a composition: citrus and green families are usually top notes, florals, teas and spices form the heart, and woods, ambers and musks make up the base. Each family carries associations, from fresh and precise to warm and established.
The most distinctive building scents pair families across levels. A crisp, contemporary citrus or green top over a relaxing, old-world woody base. Or a tea heart over a soft, clean musk. How the layers work.
How families read in Singapore
Constant air-conditioning, high humidity outside and a multicultural audience all shape how a scent is received. Fresh tea, citrus and soft woods are widely read as premium and calm; heavy sweet or very strong floral scents can feel close in enclosed spaces.
Matching a family to a building
Matching families to a building is the first step of every signature scent.
What materials define the space: stone, timber, glass, metal?
Who uses it: tenants, clients, guests, the public?
What should visitors feel: calm, energy, warmth, precision?
How does it need to differ from neighbouring buildings?
Pairing families across the layers
Three examples of how families combine in a building scent.
Contemporary and established
Yuzu and bergamot over cedar and sandalwood: a modern arrival over a heritage foundation.
Calm and natural
Green leaf and white tea over soft vetiver: suited to planted, daylit spaces.
Warm and hospitable
Osmanthus and tea over amber and woods: a welcoming character for hospitality spaces.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is a chypre fragrance?
A classic structure of citrus top notes over oakmoss and woods. Sophisticated and textured; used selectively in buildings.
2. What are aquatic fragrances?
Marine, airy scents. They read as clean but are very common in catalogue and functional fragrance, so they need care to avoid smelling generic.
3. Why are tea scents popular in buildings?
White, green and oolong tea accords are fresh, calm and widely associated with refined hospitality across Asia. Executed well they read as premium; generic versions are among the most overused catalogue scents.
4. Which family suits a Grade A lobby?
There is no single answer. Many lobbies suit fresh tea or citrus over soft woods, but the right choice depends on the building’s design and brand.
5. Can a building have scents from several families?
Yes. A signature scent blends families into one composition.
6. How do we choose?
Through the brief for your signature scent.
Get started
Find the right family for your building
We start every signature scent with a brief built around your building’s design and audience.