To create a suitable home for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the new Foreign Ministry building had to be developed with a friendly aesthetic but protected with the security of a fortress. “The overall design goal of the project was to make a place that the nation would be proud of,” said Architect Jack Diamond of Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc., in Toronto, Canada. “Because the building represents the state, it is important that the public’s impression of the building is welcoming and attractive.”

While the architects wanted to be sure that the Foreign Ministry building would blend with its surroundings, they also sought to give its own identity. This was accomplished by avoiding any building products other than the traditional materials used in the city, according to Diamond.