This morning, with the perfect light streaming into the workshop, I thought it was the right moment to show you our Genius Loci stainless steel medal up close. It’s a simple object, but one that took months to conceptualise down to the smallest detail. Nothing was left to chance!
I wanted to take a quiet moment to tell you about it — and explain how it was designed and made.
Individual medal packaging
For the packaging (developed in-house), we wanted something understated but well thought through. Each medal is wrapped individually so it is properly protected during transport. There is a small area on the packaging to write the name of the place or project it belongs to. Inside, you will find a few instructions and, of course, the medal itself, neatly secured with two screws.
We also supply longer screws for wall mounting, and a small back plate if you want to fix the medal to a lamp post, barrier or other vertical support. In short, we really tried to think through every use case.
Design, material, feel
The medal is made of brushed 316L stainless steel. No mirror finish here: we chose a steel that catches the light well without creating distracting reflections. It feels more refined, more discreet too, while keeping that hint of a “precious object”.
It is 1 mm thick — a guarantee of durability and quality. The cutting is done by laser by our partner Afiro, a sheltered workshop that does remarkable work, right down to the details: polishing, deburring… We wanted the medal to feel pleasant to the touch, even when installed in a public place — on a bench, for example.
Hyper-precise laser marking
We carry out the laser marking ourselves, after months of research to achieve this result: It is not printing, but genuine deep laser marking that remains visible even after years outdoors.
Each medal is unique: there is a personalised QR code at the centre, linking to digital content about the place. Below it, a unique serial number. Around the edge, we can mark the name of your town, your project, or even a theme such as “Heritage of…” or “Secrets of…”
You can also test the design with our Simulator.
A universal object, readable everywhere
We also wanted this medal to speak to everyone, whatever the language or culture. That is why we inscribed around the QR code the phrase “Secrets of the place”, translated into the 15 most widely spoken languages in the world.
But not with Google Translate. We called on genuine native speakers for each language, so the meaning would be culturally accurate. It is not just a literal translation — it is real research into how each culture expresses that strong bond between a place and its story.
One small exception to the rule: instead of Korean, we included Lithuanian. Simply because our co-founder Eglé is from Lithuania. A little personal touch!
A nod to the past, rooted in the present
The medal design had to feel refined, modern yet heritage-minded. We wanted an object that evokes geography, adventure, heritage. Like an invitation to discover. Something you might come across by chance and that makes you want to know what it holds.
And on the back, a simple line:
“Designed and Made in Switzerland – Genius Loci”.
There you have it — a quick tour of our medal. A discreet object, but full of meaning. If you come across one somewhere off the beaten path, do scan the QR code: you might stumble upon a beautiful story.
