Baku World Expo 2025
Designing a visual language that balanced national pride with global credibility.
overview
I created the identity for Azerbaijan’s bid to host the World Expo 2025 in Baku. The brief was to express national pride while communicating international significance, ensuring the system could resonate across multiple languages and audiences worldwide.
Concept & Execution
The approach balanced cultural specificity with global resonance. By drawing on regional symbols, architectural forms, and linguistic cues, the identity conveyed both credibility on the world stage and pride at home, positioning Azerbaijan as a visionary host nation.
The visual system was crafted to be flexible yet distinctive, able to scale from intimate documents to urban placemaking, maintaining a cohesive expression of the nation’s story.
Beyond aesthetics, the identity acted as a tool of influence, designed to inspire confidence among international stakeholders while sparking curiosity and pride domestically.
OUTPUT
I led the creative direction, designing the flexible identity system and guiding its application across political presentations, urban environments, and international communications.
A highlight was the production of three bespoke bid books, housed in a slipcase and matching bag—crafted objects that carried the weight of Azerbaijan’s vision for the future.
Conclusion
The identity became a central part of Azerbaijan’s campaign, demonstrating design’s capacity to operate on both geopolitical and personal levels.
While the bid faced strong global competition, the project showcased how thoughtful visual storytelling can amplify diplomacy, inspire confidence, and communicate cultural and national ambitions effectively.
