Allies & Morrison has announced plans for its first office outside the UK with a new base in Doha, Qatar, opening this autumn.

The architect has been building its profile across the Middle East with a series of projects including the 35ha £3.2 billion Heart of Doha masterplan, designed in partnership with Edaw and Arup. It also currently has projects in Beirut, Bahrain, Cairo and Abu Dhabi.

Allies & Morrison partner Tim Makower said: “Our philosophy is to take a contextual approach to the places we work so that the design reflects the unique character of that city or country.

“The Middle East is an exciting region to put this philosophy to the test as each city and country within it has a different context.”

Associate director Simon Gathercole added: “The Middle East is a spectacular place in which to create new buildings. We have a flexible approach to our work that allows us to work across all the countries in the region.

“While they may have climatic similarities, there is an exciting level of cultural diversity across the region which gives each state a strong identity. This gives us clues to achieving a truly contextual architecture.”