A lasagna bed starts as a "raised" bed but as the organic matter in the pile is digested the height shrinks, so in a raised bed you will want some soil to add that organic matter to. Whether there is any offensive odor depends on what you add to the mix and that will also determine how long it takes to be digested.
Perhaps this from Pat Lanza will help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lasagna Gardening 101

Kimmsr - When you say that soil should be added to the organic matter, do you mean that it should all be mixed/layered together at the start of the lasagna.... or is there a different way that is better. Perhaps adding the soil to the bottom, or the top.
Thanks!

g'day stephanie,

we invite you to take a look at our presentation of raised beds, it may go some way to giving more ideas?

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens straw bale garden

Thanks everyone! I'll be looking at the links :-)

If you are building a Lasagna Bed that is one thing but if you are building raised beds that is another. If you want the soil level in a raised bed to stay kind of close to the top of what level you established then soil is necessary. If totally rebuilding your Lasagna Bed annually, and watching the level shrink during the growing season is not a problem then a Lasagna Bed is the way to go.