Potrichor
A plant pot that recreates the smell of rain (petrichor) at home with a few presses of a button.
Design Opportunity
Modern city life often leads to "urban fatigue" and a disconnect from nature. Scientific studies[1,2] reveal that the earthy scent of rain, known as petrichor, is not just pleasant, but a powerful natural signal for mental restoration and stress relief. Yet, this natural aroma is nearly extinct in city interiors.
-
Morisawa, T., Hanyu, K., Mori, H., & Tamura, K. (2017). Physiological and psychological effects of scent of soil on human beings. Open Journal of Soil Science, 7(9), 235–244. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2017.79017
-
Kim, R., Yang, S., Lee, C. H., & Park, S.-A. (2025). Horticultural activity in soil inoculated with Streptomyces rimosus improved depressive mood with altered electroencephalogram and serum metabolism in adults. Scientific Reports, 15(1), Article 2197. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39820093/
I wondered:
Could I transform a passive houseplant into an active experience, bringing petrichor into homes to help urban dwellers reconnect with nature and offer a momentary escape from urban fatigue?
Replicating Petrichor
To verify if petrichor can be intentionally replicated, secondary research was conducted to understand how petrichor is produced in nature.
After understanding how petrichor is produced in nature, I started to explore how petrichor could be recreated at home. Hands-on testing was conducted with different soil mixtures.
Finding:
Petrichor can be recreated at home using the right soil mixture and artificial rain, such as water misting.
The following soil combination was found to help creating a balance between petrichor production and plant health.
Concepts
The concepts below explore designs that integrate mist spray into a plant pot and different ways to allow users to easily experience petrichor by activating the spray.
Final Design
The final design draws inspiration from environments where petrichor is commonly experienced: a tranquil mountain lake shrouded in fog after a light rain.
Potrichor
A plant pot that recreates petrichor (the smell of rain) with a few presses of a button.
A Few Presses,
a Breath of Petrichor
An interaction drawn from applying perfume, pressing the button located on the front of potrichor will activate petrichor.
The nozzles ensure the soil surface can get full coverage from the tiny water droplets.
Triggered by the button, the 4 nozzles attached on the pot draw water from the reservoir beneath the pot and spray water mist to the top soil layer, simulating rain to produce petrichor.
Minimum Care,
Maximum Petrichor
The water reservoir at the bottom allows cotton wick watering and supplies water for the mist nozzles.
Petrichor is strongest when water droplets hit dry soil. Bottom watering helps to keep the soil on the top stay dry, producing maximum petrichor each time the button is pressed.
Designed for Manufacturability
A crucial aspect of the design process was to ensure petrichor is designed to meet manufacturing standards. All components are designed to fit together without metal hardwares.
Taking apart pumps to understand their mechanical design and assembly methods.
By seamlessly integrating with your existing houseplants,
Potrichor brings you the calming scent of rain for a stress-free mind.
