Our everyday world and experiences consist of tangible (trees, houses, water) and intangible (feelings) phenomena. As architect Christian Norberg-Schulz stated “‘Landscape’ is… a comprehensive phenomenon. In general we may say that some phenomena form an “environment” to others. A concrete term for environment is place… Place is evidently an integral part of existence.”

In classical Roman religion, a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place and often depicted in religious iconography as a physical figure. In contemporary usage, genius loci refers to the “spirit of the place” rather than a guardian spirit. 

In this contemporary context, and as built environment professionals, documenting these tangible and intangible phenomena is integral to our experience of a place.

Through a variety of mediums, we as two individuals, capture and celebrate different aspects of a collective experience. These collected works highlight our experiences within three regions of our state:  the Olympic Peninsula, the Cascade Range, and South/East Washington.

Tori Shao @torikinn
Landscape Designer + Illustrator

Joshua Gawne @calmserv
Urban Designer + Photographer