zaha hadid: the opus building ME by melia hotel, dubai

zaha hadid: the opus building ME by melia hotel, dubai
image © zaha hadid architects

in 2007, it was announced that zaha hadid would be realizing ‘the opus office tower’ as part of a larger master plan for the city dubai. the unique mixed-use building has been developed as two individual structures, conceived as a single cube formed by a conventional system of slabs stacked vertically, and serviced by central cores.

‘the opus’ stands as a monolithic cube with a free form cavern eroding from its outer edges
image © zaha hadid architects

the two volumes are united by a low-level podium base that is surrounded by a covered walkway on all four sides, providing ample pedestrian circulation. this is further emphasized with the integration of two separate lobbies, each of which open up onto the four sides of the plot, maximizing access to the tower. the ground floor space of the 21-storey property has been envisioned as a transparent open field whose programs include retail areas that are organized in two zones. at this level there are multiple interlays of different pathways that are drawn into the interior of the plan areas through the two foyers.

zaha hadid: the opus office tower will stand as a landmark along the dubai skyline
image © zaha hadid architects

the main feature of the monolithic is a free-form void that intersects the block’s outer edges. by day, the landmark building will appear as a solid cube, but at night, the integration of a pixelated, glass façade will offer a certain degree of reflectivity, appearing dark and dematerialized, the architectural cavern activated with light so that it is visible from a great distance.

general view of the mixed-use property
image © zaha hadid architects

with much of the construction on ‘the opus’ well underway, the developer omniyat has revealed a modified version of property which will see zaha hadid engage further with the project. she will design the ‘ME by meliá’ hotel (the first in the middle east), and service apartments to be housed within the complex. the luxury accommodations will include several penthouse suites with private roof terraces, and it will be the architect’s first hotel undertaking in which she will be responsible for all aspects, both interior and exterior, of the scheme.

situated near the burj khalifa, the hotel is projected to open for business at ‘the opus’ in 2016.