United Nations Headquarter in Africa

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is one of four major UN office sites and hosts a joint presence of many UN agencies. The UN designated it as its African headquarters in 1996. United Nations Office at Nairobi also hosts the global headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

The complex includes a “green” building that is fully energy- and carbon-neutral and houses UNEP and UN-Habitat. It stands as Africa’s first of its kind, recycling water and using natural light to cut reliance on artificial lighting. The design leverages natural airflow instead of air conditioning, and solar panels generate all the energy the building consumes. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki opened the building in 2011.

The 3D Wayfinder map covers the entire UN Nairobi headquarters and works only on the local network. We designed the map to be clear and minimalistic so visitors can orient themselves in a few clicks. The view opens as a 3D campus model. The map makes buildings easy to distinguish, keeps names highly legible, and preserves correct proportions even at high zoom. The menu offers quick search and clear categories, so users can find UNEP or UN-Habitat in an instant.

When a user selects a destination, the system draws a clear route and guides them between floors and buildings. Use the floor selector to change levels, while icons mark stairs, elevators, and entrances. The map highlights wheelchair-accessible paths so wheelchair users can plan a comfortable route. We keep labels short and use uniform, high-contrast icons to maintain readability on large screens. Detailed 3D modeling shows building volumes and landmarks, while the simple interface keeps the experience fast and smooth. Overall, the map combines clean design, accurate spatial imagery, and clear directions to help people navigate this very large complex with confidence.