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Genius Loci in the Virtual – How to make virtual places unique & special

Conference Paper · May 2017

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Genius Loci in the Virtual
How to make virtual places unique & special

ANDREAS SIESS
MATTHIAS WÖLFEL
Karlsruhe University, Smart Space Laboratory

page: 1
 THE VIRTUAL EVERYDAY‘S BRAVE NEW
WORLD

An average inhabitant of the first world (whatever that actually

may be) is over 2,5 hours online per day. And, as we all know: The
smartphone is one of these devices that is always in our pockets
when it is not in active use. As a matter of a fact we spend a si-
gnificant part of our everyday life within virtual environments. It
is foreseeable that this trend will even incline in the next years.

When browsing through literature about urban planning one ge-

neral consensus emerges – yet nobody gets the point in this stra-
ightforwardness as Pieper in his 1979 (!) published work: Soziolo-
gie im Städtebau (Sociology in Urban Planning) when he writes
that

"Home is defined as the place where socialization happens."

When you combine these two facts you can bring this phenome-
na to one quote:

"Home is where WiFi connects automatically."

COMPARISON OF THE WORLD‘S 10

LARGEST CITIES WITH THE CUR-
RENT USERBASE OF FACEBOOK
AND INSTAGRAM. ALL FIGURES ARE
IN MIO.
Instagram
Facebook

Tokyo Delhi Sao Paulo Mumbai Mexico City New York Shanghai Calcutta Dhaka Karachi

1.280,0 700,0 36,7 22,2 20,3 20,0 19,5 19,4 16,6 15,6 14,6 13,1

page: 2
THE NEW PARADIGMS OF VIRTUAL
ENVIRONMENTS

Although it would be possible to design a true new experience

due to the liberation from a multitude of physical limitations,
contemporary developments are still strongly dependant on re-
ferences on the everyday materialized world. This phenomenon
is only one of many indicators for main problem that all virtu-
al worlds have to face: The users are thrown in a totally new en-
vironments that show only very limited possibilities in variety or
customization.

Every physical object was designed through a process of analyz-

ation and involvement with physical limitations and affordances
(i.e. the form of a roof is derived from the physical characteristics
of water within a gravitational force). Although these physical
limitations are overturned in virtual environments we are still
very dependent on the references on these overturned physical
objects as a semiotic index.

All virtual objects can now be described as icons that referen-

ce their analogue counterparts – yet the nature of an icon also
blooms into its visual appearance since it needs to be iconogra-
phic. Hence it has to fulfill a cliché and is not as free in its visual
representation as it might seem. Although the technology has
still significant limitations in terms of engineering (i.e. compu-
ting power, resolution, frame rate) the real constraint of virtual
environments is from conceptual nature and has to be solved
with conceptional/artistic methods.

MEMORABLE PLACES: ON THE HUNT FOR

RELEVANCE

Why aren’t places memorable per se? What determines that a

user (or its analogue brother: the flaneur) can remember certain
experiences within entity A and forgets almost instantly his ex-
periences with entity B?
In order to incline the relevance for each individual recipient the-
re are different methods to achieve a perceived relevance of a
place:

page: 3
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE – NOT REPRODUCIBLE

When you take a reference to the material world, you can see that
a lot of experiences stay in memory because they can be classi-
fied as not easy reproducible and volatile: i.e. the sunrise at the
morning in combination with mist and moving fog create a short
composition that can be experienced only at one certain place
and moment.
Virtual places have to face the video-problem: Since every scena-
rio is considered as a simulation there is one subliminal as-
sumption that a lot recipients have: that a rewind and replay is
always possible at every thinkable time. This inner assumption
blights the uniqueness of the moment and the experience loses
its narrative relevance.

EFFORT & CONTRAST

Since a lot of applications that focus the visual experience are

still in gaming contexts a closer look to this use case is neces-
sary. All gaming environments are in their unique context perfect
up to a cliché. Every sundown is spectacular, every experience is
climatic and every place is ideal1 – though there is no contrast
1 Ideal should be unterstood in a
and no possibility for an individual location to stand out from its dual meaning: At first as a perfect,
predecessors successors. (Furthermore, in linear games there is flawless representation of a visual
phenomenon; second as the inner
simply no inner motivation of the user to memorize a particular (subjective) image or imagination
location because the environment is simply the medium of the of the metapher that is connected
to this phenomenon.
narration (hero’s journey) or the task (kill as much foes as pos-
sible). There is a good case to believe that a location is just one
of many and when the task is fulfilled there is simply no need to
dwell and memorize.
To get rid of all these problems, a first possible solution could
be that the player returns to particular places (i.e. in nonlinear
games).

INTERACTION

Architectural theory shows that establishing neighborhoods can

be considered as the key task in order to create a functional ur-
ban environment. Neighborhoods are defined as spaces that can
be designed/manipulated/created in in a subdevided scale wit-
hin a defined community.
Although virtual spaces do not have infrastructural limitations
(i.e. the need of resources) there is not yet an established frame-
work that could offer these possibilities to manipulate and crea-
te space that has a "real" impact on the shared environment th-
rough social interactions.

page: 4
 IDENTITY

What can be named can be referenced: What is true in the materi-

al world (see: Roland Barthes thoughts about Tokyo, a metropolis
where the streets don’t have names nor numbers and where very
special forms of wayfinding are necessary) is also valid in virtual
environments. A lot of locations there lack names that are shared
and fixed within the community. This lack not only makes the
recovery needlessly complicated, it also prevents the users from
talking about their experiences within certain locations without
investing effort into the exact definition of the addressed place.

PART OF TOKYO‘S INNER CITY SEEN FROM ABOVE

To sum up this aspects: There is a need to develop an aesthetic

language that is able to adress the mentioned problems in a ho-
listic yet concrete way.
In the next chapters the idea of the GENIUS LOCI will be intro-
duced as cultural and conceptual framework for further explora-
tions in this research field.

page: 5

DETAIL OF CASPAR DAVID FRIED-
RICH‘S PAINTING "ABTEI IM EICH-
WALD" (ABBEY IN OAK FOREST)
FROM 1810
WHAT IS THE GENIUS LOCI?
At first the Genius Loci was one of the many my-
stical creatures that appear in the Greek and
Roman mythology: It was described as an indivi-
dual protective spirit that was looking after the
house and prevents all inhabitants from all sort
of mischief or evil. The meaning of the Genius
Loci changed however from this religious idea to
a rather metaphorical concept in (post-)modern
architecture. One major consensus that was es-
tablished above all differences in detail can be
found in Valena and Piper et al. where they state
that the Genius Loci unites all qualities of a pla-
ce that can not be described nor named specifi-
cally under one term.
With this in mind it is no surprise that the term
Genius Loci was later used by a lot of architects
and urban planners (especially in the 1970ies
and 1980ies) as a marketing buzzword in order
to explain certain design decisions that–in re-
trospective–could be described as questionable
in the best case or even worse in some cases.
All these meanings of the Genius Loci appear
rather abstract and not especially helpful for
further developments–what makes this conglo-
merate of mystical spirits and marketing buzz-
words relevant for further challenges in virtual
environments?
The Genius Loci is also known for one big fea-
ture: It has the power to transform a senseless
location to a memorable place.
page: 6
ARCHITECTURE: TO NEW SHORES!

Architecture is the thoughtful making of space.”

LOUIS KAHN

Architecture in digital worlds can not rely on the fact that it is

needed per se: Since every paradigm of virtual environments is
artificial in an autotelic way, architecture must not be seen as a
more sophisticated version of civil engineering. Since there is no
more natural force that needs to be counteracted it has to reflect
back on its very first meaning: the thoughtful making of space.

In this context, architecture has to be seen in a behavioural con-

text, that means it has to create the framework for social inter-
actions. Until now these frameworks are mainly created by UX
or UI designers and visual effect artists who tend to focus on
(customer-)journeys or on rather functional aspects within digi-
tal environments in general. Design can frame the meaning of a
certain place–what is true for material architecture needs now a
transfer into virtual worlds.

It would be shame, if centuries of cultural heritage and know-how

got lost because one subset of architectue–the engineering–is
now overcome.

page: 7
 ON THE CREATION OF VIRTUAL PLACES

When you take a closer look at virtual places it can be discovered

that all digital environments are either created or generated and
as a matter of fact they are all artificial.

CREATED ENVIRONMENTS

In this variant a single designer (or a limited team of designers)

creates the whole world from sketch to the very final detail. The
environment is clearly ATTRIBUTABLE.

GENERATED ENVIRONMENTS

On the other hand it is also possible to program certain rulesets

that generate the needed environment via algorithms. By the
use of random (noise) generators it is possible to build up end-
less landscapes that never repeat itself–a strategy that is widely
known as PROCEDURAL GENERATION.

With enough effort (either in the artistic creation or in the ma-

thematical generation) and sufficient computing power it is pos-
sible to erect nearly photorealistic environments or depending
on the designer’s approach almost everything that could be ima-
gined.

SNEAK-PEAK OF A RAYTRACED-REN-
DERED PROCEDURAL LANDSCAPE,
WHICH CREATION IS SHOWN ON THE
NEXT PAGE.

page: 8

THE SETUP FROM ABOVE WITH THE
RANDOM SEED 0000 CREATES THIS
THREE DIMENSIONAL TILE
PROCEDURAL TERRAIN: QUICK & DIRTY
A very basic approach of procedural generation is shown here
where three different noise sources (two Perlin and one very sim-
ple/generic randomness) are interconnected through basic math
nodes (addition & multiplication) .
A filter node at the end generates some effects that resemble the
influence of rain and wind through erosion. The last step is the
output of a three-dimensional mesh for the use in CAD-software
and a two-dimensional heightmap that could be used for textu-
ring and lighting techniques.
With enough effort (either in the artistic creation or in the ma-
thematical generation) and sufficient computing power it is pos-
sible to erect nearly photorealistic environments or depending
on the designer’s approach almost everything that could be ima-
gined.
WHEN THE SEEDS ITSELF ARE ALTE-
RED, IT IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE AN
SEAMLESS & ENDLESS TERRAIN,
WHERE EVERY TILE DIFFERS FROM ALL
OTHER TILES. AN ENDLESS LANDSCA-
PE EMERGES.
page: 9

GENERATED ENVIRONMENTS: Although a ma-
chine can deploy an undeniable power it also
unfolds innermost defence reactions from its
users. Even in the early phase of industrializa-
tion the 1830 Swing Riots have already shown
that nobody wants to be under a direct guidance
of an anonymous machine. It is not desirable to
rebuild the overcome and outdated dystopian
era of early industrialization in virtual environ-
ments.
However the problem within both variants of
virtual environments is not, that they lack in vi-
sual content–the dilemma lays in the fact that
nobody wants to be ruled by a single man nor
by a machine in the long term. And exactly this
is happening at the moment in gaming as well
as in productive or social spaces and eventual-
ly prevents users to accept virtual places as an
authentic and legitimate surrogate to analogue
locations.
One of the most fundamental principles in hu-
man development was the clash between cul-
ture and nature. For instance, architecture’s
objective was once the fight against nature to
fulfill the very basic human need for shelter and
protection.
As we demonstrated above, there is no belie-
vable natural force in virtual environments. All
hurdles that are presented here are artificial-
ly generated to be an impediment per se, what
leads to the following questions:
When all obstacles are generated artificially
what does it state about the presented virtual
world? In the best case this environment is then
framed as a "game" and thus not to be taken as
a serious substitute to reality. (Virtual reality is
then considered as a simple output device for
computer games, what dismisses the technolo-
gy’s inherent potential completely.)
In the worst case this development could be one
of the foundations for an Orwell-like oligarchy
that is fully centered to a very small circle of cre-
ators.
In created environments without a game-orien-
tated context: Once an obstacle is perceived as
artificial as well as the whole environment is the
work of human developers the whole paradigm
loses its integrity.
page: 10
EXCURSUS: THE LOSS OF THE GAME

One of the biggest mistakes that occur in the examination of

virtual environments is to assume that the most important ap-
plication for virtual content in the future is the gaming industry.
Although gaming is undoubtedly a large market on its own and
a lot of examples shown here also reference this kind of content
due to its visual centered approach it is still considered as fictio-
nal–and therefore not directly linked to reality in general.

The statements from the beginning (2,5 hours daily online-time

for everyone over 14) in comparison to the time that is actually
spent on gaming states that a change of paradigms is needed.
Virtual worlds are not exclusively gaming environments. Virtual
worlds is everything you do at your digital device.

By extension of this aspect it should be mentioned here that the

separation between tool and toy is rather artificial. As Schiller
wrote:

Every aesthetical education from a human to an individual is ba-

sed on the stimulation of his ludic drive.

Maybe it is time to overcome this paradigm and (re)invent an en-

vironment that enables aesthetic culture without a need of labe-
ling the indivudual process as "work" or "game".

PROPOSAL – WE NEED:

1. A framework that generates environments that is not a ma-

chine nor a single designer what could be named an artifici-
al, yet believable natural force as counterweight and sparring
partner to all aesthetic endaveours.
2. A "fluid" environment that offers a contrast between fixed/
static and dynamic areas

"From artificial Gaia to social Gaia"

3. A possibility to influence the surroundings that have also an

impact to the society in general and vice versa.

page: 11
 CASE STUDY: R/PLACE

When reddit started its annual April’s fool experiment it was fore-
AFTER
12 seeable that a lot of users are going to try it simply because of the
HOURS sheer size of reddit’s user base that spread the word.

The given ruleset was quite simple:

There is an empty canvas.

You may place a tile upon it, but you must wait to place another.

Individually you can create something.

AFTER Together you can create something more.”

25
HOURS
The experiment was set up for 72 hours straight. On the right the-
re are some snapshots how the canvas looked like at one specific
time. Through this dynamic generation via social inputs a “na-
tural contrast between static and changing areas emerged: The-
re were places that stayed rather fixed and untouched over the
whole period of time, whereas other areas were under a constant
changing process.
It is evident that this process would not have been possible if the
users wouldn’t have formed some form of coordination. This need
AFTER
48 of coordination also formed some bond between members of the
HOURS same interest group that claimed their piece of the limited land.
A feeling of home and affiliation/membership (i.e. nations, inte-
rest groups, subcultures) arised, forming neighborhoods, rival-
ries (the black hole in the middle against all others), peace trea-
ties (germany & france that fought against each other until they
formed an ally under the symbol of the European banner), etc.

WHAT CAN BE SEEN IS THE FOLLOWING:

1. Users want to create and design their space.

AFTER
72 2. Even for setting one (!) pixel on 1.000 x 1.000 canvas (what
HOURS equals to 1/1.000.000 piece of content on a generic website)
they were willing to invest five minutes of their lifetime. (And
another five for the next pixel.) Although they could not be
sure that their set pixel would last longer than a few seconds.
3. Users were willing to organize in teams to enforce their spe-
cific goal.

A TIMELAPSE VIDEO OF THE FULL 72 HOURS CON-

DENSED TO 4 1/2 MINUTES CAN BE FOUND HERE:
https://youtu.be/XnRCZK3KjUY

page: 12

2 Needless to say: Although the
playground had an egalitarian ru-
leset it was necessary for users to
group up in communities. In these
interest groups it was very likely
that a form of hierarchy was estab-
lished in order to conduct a certain
agenda.
NEW NATURE
Nature as a mixture of fixed &
fluid "social environment"
(as featured in r/place)
NEW ARCHITECTURE
New definition of architecture
as design of experience
Defunctionalization the virtual,
establishing new aesthetics
PROPOSAL: A PROTOTYPE FOR NATURE 2.0?
It can be stated that a new natural force is needed. In order to
create a believable, non-artificial Gaia the experiment of r/pla-
ce could be seen as a prototype for a new nature. A nature that
can be derived from the aggregation of all users of one particular
space.
r/place was a true direct democracy deployed in a tight frame-
work2. Everyone has one vote every 5 minutes, regardless of iden-
tity or personal circumstances. This is not an utopia; it is just a
sneak-peek how a virtual space could look like, when architectu-
ral/urban theory is established without physical limitations.
CONCLUSION : A NEW GENIUS LOCI
The Genius Loci comes to life when an interaction between archi-
tecture and nature happens.
As stated in the previous slides architecture has found a new de-
finition as design of experience. Furthermore it has given up to
pursue a pure functional approach.
On the other hand our new found "nature" that is a mixture of
fluid and fixed elements in a social environment.
Between this two poles (and in their controvercy)
a new FLUID GENIUS LOCI is formed that is able
to create places in virtual environments that
feature IDENTITY, MEANING and CONSISTENCY.
page: 13
 Contact

ANDREAS SIESS andreas.siess@hs-karlsruhe.de

MATTHIAS WÖLFEL matthias.woelfel@hs-karlsruhe.de

Karlsruhe University
Smart Space Laboratory

Moltkestr. 30
76133 Karlsruhe
Germany

www.smartspace.center
www.hs-karlsruhe.de

page: 14

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