The Opus will officially open its doors later this month.
It is her first—and only—structure in Dubai.
And the late Zaha Hadid’s local masterpiece, The Opus, will open its doors on January 15, developers have announced, almost two years after the legendary architect’s passing.
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The already-iconic building in the Burj Khalifa district will also feature signature furniture designed and selected by the Iraqi-British visionary, who died aged 65 in Miami in March 2016.
The Opus, which has been developed by Omniyat Properties, is made up of a variety of residences, alongside a boutique hotel, office space, a nightclub, 12 restaurants and a rooftop bar.
All are housed inside the unique structure, comprised of two glass towers joined by a steel and glass bridge, creating a striking gap in the building’s centre.
Overall, The Opus will boast 56,000 square feet of commercial space, 162,000 square feet of hospitality space and 97,000 square feet of entertainment and food and beverage areas.
The head-turning cuboid building has already won awards for its stunning design, including Leisure & Hospitality Project of the Year for 2017 at the Middle East Architect Awards.
At its heart will be the first ME by Melia hotel in the Middle East, with an intimate 100 rooms and 60 apartments.
It’s not yet known exactly when the five-star hotel will be open for guests, but based on this render of its impressive lobby, we’re already planning a staycation.
The private apartments promise to be equally as luxurious, with residents able to use ME Hotel’s “lifestyle concierge”, which delivers à la carte services right to your front door, according to Omniyat.
There will also be a swimming pool, state-of-the-art gym and ESPA spa on-site for residents and hotel guests, as well as a ballroom and various cafes and lounges.
The Opus is a stroke of genius from Hadid, who was the first woman to receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004 and was known in the world of architecture for her distinctively neo-futuristic buildings.
The architect, who was known as “Queen of the Curve”, was also the first woman awarded the Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Born in Baghdad in 1950, Hadid studied mathematics at the American University of Beirut before starting her architectural journey in 1972 at the Architectural Association in London.
Her most famed works are spread across the globe, from Germany to the US, with many Hadid-designed structures standing right here in the GCC (you can even explore some of her work using Google Earth, just click here).
Aside from The Opus, she was responsible for the Sheikh Zayed bridge in Abu Dhabi and the Al Wakrah Stadium in Qatar.
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In 2002, she was appointed by the Queen of England as Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to architecture.
Images: Omniyat Official/Instagram, Zaha Hadid Architects/Dubai
