Just 50 years ago, the village of Saint-Prex in Switzerland received the prestigious Wakker Prize, for the preservation of its historic built heritage and to salute the efforts of the population to promote it. In 2023, it was time to properly celebrate this award and bring residents together around a unifying project.

TV report in St-Prex

Janette Danko, from the association Reg'arts Saint-Prex had the idea of ​​integrating the Genius loci medals into this project and was able to arouse the enthusiasm of the Municipality, which made it possible to deploy the first medals in record time.

Interview with Janette Danko, project leader

The tool was used immediately, but deadlines were tight and it was necessary to quickly create high-quality content for these first medals. Saint-Prex has mandated Ariane Mérillat, anthropologist and researcher at UNIL in Lausanne, to write texts that are in-depth in substance, but captivating in form. His companion Bastien being a photographer, the secrets were illustrated with high quality photos.

By interviewing alumni, Janette, Ariane and Bastien were able to bring together original anecdotes and share them in a modern and accessible form thanks to the medals Genius Loci.

The mission of Genius Loci is to make the development of local heritage accessible to as many people as possible.

Our prices are intended to be affordable for cities, regions and small villages. For the price of a single classic tourist sign, it is possible to deploy several dozen of our medals.

It is possible to acquire only a pack of 20 medals, or to entrust us with a broader mandate based on support, which includes a citizen workshop and a WhatsApp support group dedicated to your project.

All prices are detailed in our booklet:

Pack

Medals

  • 20 medals & the digital solution
  • Custom Medals
  • Content hosting
  • Training videos
Pack

Support

  • 60 medals & the digital solution
  • Content hosting
  • Custom Medals
  • A face-to-face workshop with citizens in your municipality
  • 1 technical referent
  • Whatsapp group with support

Test the design of your medals?

Our Simulator allows you to test several variants of your future medal in a few clicks. It is possible to modify the two inscriptions at the top and bottom.

Medals Simulator

AboutGenius Loci

2000 years ago, the Romans thought that every place was protected by a Genius Loci, - the spirit of the place.

Today, the “genius loci” designates the particular atmosphere of a place, its character, its history. The term is particularly used in architecture.

Now we’ve taken up this notion to create a rewarding and easy-to-use tool for cities, community organizations and individual citizens, to promote and digitize their favorite hidden attractions and secrets, while preserving heritage for all to access.

Created in Switzerland by the brains behind Design Sprint Ltd, Genius Loci SA offers the possibility of making hyperlocal destinations finally attractive, at a very affordable cost for cities, associations and communities.

Statue Genius Loci up close