It has just been announced that Zaha Hadid‘s new building, titled ‘The Opus’, will officially launch on January 15th, 2018. The late architect Hadid – one of the world’s most celebrated artists – makes history in the Emirate almost two years after her passing with the award-winning, cuboid-shaped building being her first structure in Dubai. Vogue.me lists the facts you need to know to keep your cultured chat up to speed.
The Wow Factor
Featuring an inimitable “free form void” in the centre of its design, the building will be partly residential and home to a boutique hotel run by ME by Melia Hotels International (the group’s first in the Middle East). Nestled in the Burj Khalifa district, a stone’s throw from Downtown Dubai, it’ll prove to be a go-to spot for the city’s culture buffs. It’s been in the making since 2012 and is still under construction.
Zaha Hadid. Photographed by Leon Chew
So, What’s Inside?
The residential apartments also benefit from the ‘lifestyle services’ on offer in the hotel and get à la carte deliveries to the door. Amenities also include a ballroom, 12 restaurants, 56,000 sq. ft of business premises, and, of course, an on-location spa and gym.
Inside The Opus. Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects
The Design Details
A co-design by Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher (as part of Zaha Hadid Architects) the building itself is comprised of two towers that are connected via four-storey ground-level atrium and a bridge 71 metres above. The bridge is substantial at 38 metres wide. The structure forms a cube with an unexpected, void and makes up a total of 21 storeys and 84,345 sqmm2. Watch this space (pun on purpose). The pixelated-effect exterior renders it one of the cities new, iconic structures that’ll no doubt garner its very own, beloved hashtag.
The Verdict
It’s a building of opposites. The design riffs on interior/exterior spaces, with emphasis on the sculptural building (Hadid’s design signature) itself looking inwardly and outwardly to the ever-changing landscape of Dubai. It’s certainly a memorable addition to the metropolis.
Related Read: The day Google Doodle honored Zaha Hadid
