Frida Escobedo to Design Qatar's New Ministry Building with Adaptive Reuse of a Modernist Landmark in Doha

"The State of Qatar announced on December 4, 2025, the selection of Frida Escobedo Studio, in collaboration with Buro Happold engineers and Studio Zewde landscape designers, to design the new headquarters for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Intended to establish a more visible civic presence for the Qatari diplomatic service and provide public access to the Ministry complex, the project is planned for a prominent site along Doha's waterfront, transforming a significant section of the city's Corniche. Situated beside Doha Bay, the 70,000-square-meter (750,000-square-foot) project is conceived as a combination of new construction and the adaptive reuse of the historic modernist General Post Office currently on the site."

"The design team was appointed through an international invited competition and selected from an initial group of 40 architectural teams and a shortlist of seven, with architects from every continent invited to participate. The competition was organized and managed by Malcolm Reading Consultants on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Qatar Museums. Frida Escobedo Studio is a Mexican practice founded by architect Frida Escobedo in 2006, with a New York office since 2022. The studio gained international recognition in 2018, when she was commissioned to design the annual Serpentine Pavilion in London's Kensington Gardens, becoming the youngest architect at that time to undertake the project."

"The competition to design Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was led by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, in her role as Chairperson of Qatar Blueprint, an initiative guiding development across the country in collaboration with public entities and the private sector. Formed as a think tank under the directive of His Highness the Amir of Qatar, Qatar Blueprint visualizes planning scenarios for the nation based on the country's assets, regional positioning, history, and current social and physical context, as well as the Nation"

Frida Escobedo Studio, collaborating with Buro Happold and Studio Zewde, will design a new Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters on a prominent stretch of Doha's Corniche beside Doha Bay. The 70,000-square-meter complex will combine new construction with adaptive reuse of the historic modernist General Post Office to create a more visible civic presence and provide public access to the ministry. The design team emerged from an international invited competition of 40 teams, shortlisted to seven, organized by Malcolm Reading Consultants for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Qatar Museums. The competition was led by Qatar Blueprint under Sheikha Al Mayassa.

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