The question about the spirit of the place is fundamental for considerations about the transformation of urban forms. So, what features of cities should be protected, and which forms can be surrendered without regret to changes? An indirect answer to this question is provided by ethology, which allows - in a sense - to evaluate the beauty of the shaped space, objectifying it on the basis of evolutionary achievements. "Beautiful is what makes us better" - even if that statement looks like naive, its validity can be demonstrated in the phylogenetic sense. The observed forms are automatically distributed among the appropriate zones on the retina. The effect of this automatic decomposition evokes various aesthetic sensa-tions. Parts of visible harmonious forms (including parts of buildings), projected by the lens of the eye onto his retina, fill individual anatomical zones of the visual field, thus evoking a sense of Kunstgenuss - aesthetic pleasure and spiritual, temporary ful-fillment. This mechanism makes it possible to decode the "formal atmosphere" - the spirit of a particular place. Because it is precisely the deviations from perfect harmony that constitute the characteristic genius loci.