ruins
址 centers on the physical remains of something that once stood: ruins, a site, or a foundation left behind.
址 combines 土 (earth, ground) with 止, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of a place or foundation. The character refers to the earthen remains of a structure.
The left side is earth 土, and the right side 止 looks like a footprint stopped in place. Picture old footprints in the dirt marking where a building once stood: 址 is the ruins.
For シ, imagine seeing the ruins of an old city: the scene is silent, and the quiet 'shhh' sound of the wind through the stones cues シ.