Designing with Place in Mind: How the New Cities Summit Brought Nairobi’s Identity to Life

When hosting an international summit, the destination is more than just a backdrop,it's part of the story. At Waridi Events, we believe in designing conferences that go beyond logistics to evoke the spirit of place. The 2025 New Cities Summit, hosted by the Charter Cities Institute, gave us a unique opportunity to do just that.

Following its inaugural edition in Kigali in 2024, the summit moved to Nairobi this year, a city often referred to as “the city under the sun.” Our task: to reflect Nairobi’s urban energy, cultural heritage, and visual identity throughout the event experience.

Anchoring Design in Identity

The journey began with the client designing the  brand identity and event logo, featuring a stylised Nairobi skyline, anchored by iconic architectural landmarks like Times Tower, KICC, and surrounding high-rises. This skyline motif became the visual thread woven through every touchpoint of the summit.

The stage design took it a step further. Inspired by Nairobi’s tagline, the backdrop evoked a cityscape at dawn, golden hues arching over the silhouette of Nairobi's skyline. This theme cascaded through the plenary archway, which welcomed attendees into a space that felt both modern and unmistakably Kenyan.

Thoughtful Touchpoints and Giveaways

Event branding extended into the tactile and the thought. Delegates received premium Kenyan tea and custom-branded Maasai kikoys/shukas as giveaways  items that felt both luxurious and culturally rooted. Each item was selected to spark conversation and appreciation for Kenya’s heritage.

A Village of Urban Encounters

The summit’s Activity & Experience Village was a curated exploration of Nairobi’s vibrance:

• A live muralist created an urban reinterpretation of the skyline in real time, blending concrete textures with Afro-modern motifs.

• A pop-up Maasai market gave attendees a chance to shop locally made crafts between sessions.

• A caricature artist added levity and interactivity, sketching attendees with Nairobi’s landscape as a quirky backdrop.

The Takeaway

Incorporating destination identity into event design doesn’t have to be loud but it should be intentional. At the New Cities Summit, every element from logo to lanyard was designed to root the event in Nairobi’s soul.

For us, it wasn’t just about creating a beautiful space. It was about crafting an experience that couldn’t have happened anywhere else but here.

🎥 Catch the full event highlights on our YouTube channel