Architect Frida Escobedo has unveiled plans for the new bayside headquarters of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project will integrate Doha’s modernist General Post Office building into a contemporary complex.

Designed by Frida Escobedo Studio, the 70,000-square-metre development will stand along Al Corniche, the city’s waterfront promenade, serving as the home for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

According to the studio, the headquarters is intended to “establish a more visible civic presence for the nation’s diplomatic service and offer the public unprecedented access to the ministry complex.”

The new MOFA headquarters will be composed of a contemporary building by Escobedo Studio, seamlessly merging with the adaptive reuse of the General Post Office (GPO). Built in 1985 and known for its distinctive “pigeonhole” design, the GPO will form a central element of the new campus.

The overall design is organized around a series of courtyards, with visualizations depicting stepped, terraced structures featuring gridded façades stretching along the waterfront.

“This project will be situated in a strategic location on Al Corniche, nestled amidst a rich constellation of landmarks,” stated Escobedo.

“With the addition of MOFA, the site of the General Post Office will renew its position of importance as a threshold between Qatar and the world.”

The MOFA headquarters will feature a grid of vertical columns, designed to harmonize with the adjacent GPO, which is positioned to one side of the site.

“The stepping mass of MOFA asserts a subdued monumentality, while respecting the visibility of the GPO,” Escobedo said.

“Taking cues from its neighbor, MOFA’s curving façade elements are animated by light and shadow. Inside this protective exterior, workers, ministers, and visitors will encounter verdant patios.”

The ground floor of the GPO will be repurposed as an exhibition space that seamlessly transitions into a sheltered