The genius loci as a Pathic Atmosphere

Abstract

This essay reinterprets the concept of genius loci through the lens of atmospherology. Criticizing both constructivist and purely descriptive accounts of place identity, it argues that the spirit of a place consists in a prototypical atmosphere that resonates within the felt body and shapes lived experience. The genius loci is therefore understood not as something arbitrarily created, but as an affective quality primarily discovered through pathic engagement with place.