Fresh artist renders have landed for the next phase of the United Nations complex in Gigiri, Nairobi, giving the clearest look yet at how the campus will evolve into a modern, accessible and net-zero conference hub.

At the heart of the plan is a new 1,600-seat Assembly Hall flanked by a visitors centre, a media centre and an expanded mix of meeting rooms. The upgrade aims to boost Nairobi’s in-person meeting capacity from about 2,000 to 9,000 participants, a big step up for UNEA, UN-Habitat Assembly and other high-level forums that already call Gigiri home.

The renders show low-rise, pavilion-style buildings woven into the Karura Forest edge, with shaded walkways, garden courts and lots of daylight. The design leans on passive cooling, natural ventilation and locally sourced materials, so it still feels like Nairobi rather than a transplanted glass box.

UN member states approved the Conference Facilities Project with a ceiling of roughly USD 265.6 million. The scheme covers about 44,000 square metres of built area within the 140-acre UN campus. Early works start this year, full construction is expected to ramp up in 2026, substantial completion is targeted for 2029, and final wrap-up is planned by early 2030.

Sustainability is not an add-on here, it is the default. The campus upgrade is designed for net-zero energy, powered by solar generation projected at 3 to 4 GWh annually. Water use is addressed through rainwater and greywater harvesting, and the plan bakes in universal accessibility, from barrier-free paths to assistive audio-visual tech in meeting rooms.

Meanwhile, the separate office expansion has already replaced ten 1970s prefab blocks with six permanent, climate-smart office buildings. That piece improves circulation, accessibility and workspace efficiency as the Nairobi duty station takes on more global and regional functions.

What about talk of UN offices “moving” to Nairobi.

The accurate picture is more measured. Several agencies have shifted some global operations to Kenya to take advantage of cost, time-zone and campus efficiencies, while their formal headquarters remain in New York.

Recent media chatter about full relocations by 2026 was tempered by UN spokespeople, who said discussions are ongoing, not final.

Here is a quick snapshot of what the new build adds:

The government has paired the project with upgrades to UN Avenue and surrounding utilities, which matters when you are moving thousands of delegates, staff and media through a tight window.