Zaha Hadid Architects have been shortlisted for Lobby/Public Areas – Global Award in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2022.

Spanning 84,300 square metres the Opus was designed as two separate towers that merge into a singular whole—taking the form of a cube. The cube has been ‘eroded’ in its centre, creating a free-form void that is an important volume of the design in its own right. The two halves of the building on either side of the void are linked by a four-storey atrium at ground level and connected by an asymmetric 38 metre wide, three-storey bridge 71 metres above the ground.

The precise geometries of the Opus’ elemental glass cube contrast dramatically with the fluidity of the eight storey void at its centre. The cube’s double-glazed insulating façades incorporate a UV coating and a mirrored frit pattern to reduce solar gain. Applied around the entire building, this dotted frit patterning emphasizes the clarity of the building’s form, while at the same time, dissolving its volume through the continuous play of light varying between everchanging reflections and transparency.

This curved façade was designed using digital 3D modelling that also identified specific zones which required tempered glass. During the day, the cube’s façades reflect the sky, the sun and the surrounding city; whilst at night, the void is illuminated by a dynamic light installation of individually controllable LEDs within each glass panel.

Furniture by Zaha Hadid Design is installed throughout the hotel, including the ‘Petalinas’ sofas and ‘Ottomans’ pods in the lobby that are fabricated from materials ensuring a long lifecycle and its components can be recycled. The hotel’s bedrooms also incorporate the ‘Vitae’ bathroom collection, designed by Hadid in 2015 for Noken Porcelanosa, continuing her fluid architectural language throughout the hotel’s interiors.

The ME Dubai hotel incorporates 74 rooms and 19 suites, while the Opus building also houses offices floors, serviced residences and restaurants, cafes and bars including ROKA, the contemporary Japanese robatayaki restaurant and the MAINE Land Brasserie. Sensors throughout the Opus automatically adjust the ventilation and lighting according to occupancy to conserve energy while ME Dubai follows Melia Hotels International initiatives for sustainable practices.

Zaha Hadid Architects

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