Project Overview:

World Urban Forum (WUF) 2026

The theme of WUF13 “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities” will shine a global spotlight on the urgent need to address the global housing crisis and position housing as a driver of inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development.

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Objectives:

The official visual identity and logo for WUF13 told a story of connection—specifically framing Baku as the historic bridge where "East meets West." The branding pulled from three core design anchors:  

• The Baku Skyline & Modularity: The graphic assets utilized geometric, clean lines to represent modern skyscrapers and structural modules. This mirrored the forum's focus on scalable, modular solutions to the global housing crisis.
• Shabaka Stained Glass Motifs: The visual patterns across the venue were heavily inspired by traditional Azerbaijani Shabaka—intricate wooden lattice window frames filled with colored glass, crafted without nails or glue. This historic architecture style was digitized to represent how independent, diverse communities lock together to form a resilient whole.  
• Color Palette: The color scheme blended corporate UN-Habitat blues with warm, terrestrial tones (terracotta, clay, and sand). This choice visually tethered high-level diplomatic policy directly to the earth and the physical materials used to build homes.

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Scope of Work:

I was part of the creative team as a Graphic Designer for UN-Habitat event, held on 17-22 May 2026. This project allowed me to contribute to a World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan. To develop design & printing for the expo.

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‍Target Audience

One of the largest sessions in history, drawing over 57,000 participants across 176 countries to review progress on the New Urban Agenda.

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When/Where

17-22 May 2026

Baku, Azerbaijan, at the Baku Olympic Stadium.

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Mood & Feel‍

• The Core Palette (Tradition Meets Resilience)
  • Earth Bases: Sandstone, Terracotta, and Clay (representing raw building materials and foundations).
  • Flame Accents: Amber, Burnt Orange, and Pomegranate (nodding to Baku, "The Land of Fire," injecting human energy).
  • Eco-Thread: Caspian Teal and Olive (representing climate resilience and green infrastructure).

• Graphic Motifs & Typography
  • The Shabaka Grid: Using patterns inspired by traditional Azerbaijani stained-glass lattice windows as a visual metaphor for interlocking, modular community solutions.
  • The Blueprint Line: Clean horizon lines merging the fluid curves of modern architecture with rigid structural grids.
  • Typography: Bold, geometric sans-serifs (like Space Grotesk or Inter) that look structured, block-like, and authoritative.

• Spatial Experience (The Urban "Azerbaijan-style")
  • Community Layouts: Open, decentralized pavilion spaces mimicking public squares to foster natural interaction.
  • Regenerative Materials: Heavy use of raw, sustainable materials like unfinished timber scaffolding, canvas, and modular earth blocks to visually emphasize low-carbon housing solutions.

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Impact

The design for WUF13 drives global impact by replacing sterile corporate visuals with warm, tactile textures that reframe the housing crisis around human dignity rather than abstract data. Its decentralized, "Azerbaijan-style" layout flattens institutional hierarchies to foster democratic, peer-to-peer collaboration between grassroots leaders and high-level ministers. Ultimately, by utilizing modular, low-carbon materials, the venue itself operates as a living prototype, proving that sustainable, climate-resilient urban development is achievable today.

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Key Learnings

• Storytelling Over Data: Swapping sterile visuals for warm, tactile textures refocuses global policy from abstract real estate to human dignity and shelter.
• The Venue is the Prototype: Using low-carbon, modular materials (timber, raw fabrics) proves sustainable architecture is achievable today, turning the event into a living proof-of-concept.

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The results in this video

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