Urban branding is a multifaceted topic that plays a crucial role in the development of contemporary cities – from visual communication and strategic positioning to building trust and recognition across diverse communities. We are proud and delighted that Komplekt is co-organizing the international forum Brand the City together with punkt.studio. The forum brings to Plovdiv some of the most distinguished European names in contemporary design, brand strategy and public policy - the teams behind the visual identities of Amsterdam, Vienna, Leipzig, Porto and Prague. We believe that learning from these leading examples will inspire the application of similar practices in Bulgaria and contribute to the development of more sustainable, recognizable and engaging urban environments. The forum is a key event in the program of the first edition of the festival Brand the City by punkt studio.
On 27 February 2026, Friday, the Episcopal Basilica of Philippopolis will host the one-day forum - a key event within the BRAND THE CITY Festival. The forum explores the role of design in shaping the identity of cities and countries, spanning visual systems, strategic positioning, long-term public perception and urban development.
The programme features lectures and panel discussions with the creators of some of the most acclaimed city and state identity projects in Europe:
Gábor Schreier (Austria), Saffron Brand Consultants – Creative Director behind the new identity of Vienna.
Eduardo Aires (Portugal), Studio Eduardo Aires – Designer of the identity of Porto and of the Government of Portugal.
Roel Stavorinus (Netherlands), thonik – The studio behind the visual identity of Amsterdam.
Jakub Spurný & Michael Dolejš (Czech Republic), Studio Najbrt – Creators of the visual identity of Prague and the Czech state administration.
Christian Hanke (Germany), edenspiekermann_ – Creative Director with a significant role in the modernization of Leipzig’s identity.
Hanna Zdanowska (Poland) – Mayor of Łódź and member of the European Committee of the Regions, with substantial experience in urban transformation.
Kostis Karatzas (Greece), The Greek Foundation – Founder of an organization dedicated to positioning contemporary Greek culture internationally.
The forum positions Plovdiv at the heart of the European conversation on the role of design in the public sector and the intersection of culture, economy and sustainable urban development. It offers valuable perspectives for anyone engaged with the future of cities — designers, architects, urban planners, public administration representatives, cultural practitioners and civic organizations.
The BRAND THE CITY Forum 2026 is organized by punkt.studio in partnership with Studio Komplekt and Plovdiv Municipality. The festival is implemented under the project “Together Again,” procedure BG-RRP-11.021 “New Generation of Local Cultural Policies for Large Municipalities,” funded by the European Union through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (NextGenerationEU).