Genius Loci
Introducing her vision of empowering the way we perceive life, visual artist Anastasia Savinova launched a series of architecture photography titled “Genius Loci”. This series includes collages forming a Big House, as the artist states, which seek to capture the spirit of various cities by composing many buildings characteristic of each city into a unitary result.Anastasia Savinovai is an Ukrainian visual artist with a degree of design from Samara State Architectural University. She is based in Sweden and she is also the winner of International exchange grant “Konstnärsnämnden” of IASPIS Sweden.
The methodology of almost all of her projects combines a number of steps: the first one is to identify the differences and similarities between spatial programmatic characteristics in various cities. Then Savinova travels around these cities with her camera and take photos of buildings, experience the spatial performance and tries to study the daily life behavior of its people in a way that helps her creates the suitable large-scale design for the mood of these cities.
While architecture and landscape are visual components of the integral image of the place, at the same time, this image is inseparably linked with a mentality and a way of life. — Savinovai stated
Savinovai tends to compose each Big House of her collection to include many buildings, in a way that reflects the rhythm or the style of this city. Sreaching for this deep connection between the land and the spirit of the place, but using the term place wouldn’t be suitable for describing elements characterized by a human behavior, while “Space” is the compatible word.
Ancient Romans called it “genius loci” – the protective spirit of a place. In contemporary usage, “genius loci” refers to a location’s distinctive atmosphere. — Savinovai stated
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.