Ngaren

Context

Create a brand identity and online home for Ngaren, a first-of-its-kind museum on human origins, evolution, and climate change set to open in Kenya in 2026.

Strategy

Develop a minimal, impactful, and enigmatic platform that clearly communicates Ngaren’s vision, ignites global curiosity, and serves as a portal for fundraising.

Solution

A strategy, landing page, and brand video that speaks to the culmination of the late Richard Leakey’s life work as a world-renowned conservationist and the founder of Ngaren.

Strategy

“We have the technology, and I believe we also have the brains to realize that the damage happening to the planet right now is not an asteroid, it is us.”

—Richard Leakey, Founder

Ngaren means “beginning,” and as its name suggests, the brand celebrates the beginnings of life and humanity. Rich with paleontological history, Ngaren is situated on the edge of Kenya’s Rift Valley where our ancestors were first discovered. Here, the museum allows visitors to immerse themselves in the human journey where mankind’s story began.

In 2018, the team came to us to help unify the vision for the first-of-its-kind museum while it was under development. We began by crafting a strategy that positioned Ngaren as a place where we come face-to-face with forces of change—where we celebrate the unpredictable and undeniable circumstances that shape us.

Ngaren banner with text The Shape of Life on Earth

Ngaren book mockup with text The evolution of life is an incredible force Here's our story

Visual Identity

Sustainable, flexible, and bold design elements help tell the story of our origins and future obligation to protect the planet.

We set out to create a visual brand identity that was emblematic of a beginning. The result was a logo mark that characterizes the ‘N’ of Ngaren as a spark, a heartbeat, or a timeline. The striking design functions as a multi-platform icon for Ngaren. It represents a starting point that moves forward in a continuous state of dynamic change—just like our beginning as humans on Earth.

Our logo draws users through the website as a functional navigational tool that flexes into an image mortise and page divider. As viewers click through the sections, they learn all about Ngaren’s mission, can donate to the project, and get a taste of what to expect from the full experience when it launches. Thought-provoking and informative copy invites viewers on Ngaren’s epic journey of knowledge—knowledge that will empower us to protect the planet that is our only home.

Ngaren white mortise over image of Rift Valley Kenya

Brand Film

Today, Ngaren continues to celebrate the evolutionary quality of life.

The voice of Richard Leakey lives on as a narrator in our brand film. Ambient music and bold graphics propel us into the story of Ngaren as we ponder life’s most universal questions: “What makes us humans?” “Why this planet?” The film culminates with a final message about what lies ahead for humanity. If we want to help save our planet, we must first realize our commonality as a species and dissolve our borders as humans. By celebrating the evolution of life, only then are we able to ignite global action and increase our chances of a future on Earth.

Services

Naming –– Brand Strategy –– Logo Design –– Visual Identity –– Campaign Strategy –– Graphic Design –– Experiential Design –– Print Design –– Copywriting –– Animation –– Editing –– Music Supervision –– Web Design –– Brand Guidelines