Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid certainly made her mark in the Middle East before her death last year, and she'll continue carving out a presence for a long time yet. Hadid's first ever project in Dubai, the hollowed out Opus tower, is set to open its doors next year, with the late starchitect's fingerprints to be found on the inside as well as the out.
The Opus is a mixed-used development and is not only Hadid's first project for Dubai, but is said to be the only hotel project that she personally designed inside and out. According to Melia Hotels, whose ME Dubai Hotel will occupy 19 of the lower floors, it showcases her vision of interconnectedness with dramatic furniture filling the lobby, lounges and cafe all designed or handpicked by Hadid herself.
The bottom floors will be dedicated to entertainment space with bars and restaurants, while the upper floors will be used for office space and serviced residences. All of this is housed inside a giant cube that is actually split into two towers thanks to a void that cuts through the middle. The exterior facade features a programmed LED display that lights up the building at night.
These two sections are linked at the bottom and by a bridge at the top, which is made from unique panes of curved double glass, double curved aluminum frames and steel. Three floors thick, this bridges houses the most exclusive serviced residences, and at a height of 71 m (230 ft), should offer pretty spectacular views of the evolving Dubai skyline.
The Opus is set to open its doors at the end of 2018.
Sources: Meliá Hotels, The Opus
