To address the challenges of forced integration and disconnection in curriculum-based ideological and political education, this study draws on the concept of Genius Loci (场所精神) to explore a place-based approach to engineering talent cultivation. Drawing from teaching practices in civil engineering and architecture disciplines at Yan’an University, this paper constructs a progressive educational framework consisting of sense of orientation — sense of identity — sense of belonging. It reveals the endogenous progressive logic embedded in the continuous and interconnected interactions among locale, people and values, which deepens layer by layer. Accordingly, a trinity practical pathway is designed, taking locale as curriculum, curriculum as scenario, and scenario as edification. Teaching practice demonstrates that this model transforms static spatial landscapes into dynamic educational fields, shifting educational dynamics from one-way indoctrination to multidimensional interactions among teachers, place and students. It offers a replicable theoretical model and operational paradigm for ideological and political education in higher education programs for built-environment disciplines.