Work is nearing completion on one of the most visually striking Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)-designed buildings we’ve seen in some time. Named Opus, the mixed-use project is located in Dubai and takes the form of a cube with a hole in its center.
Situated near the Burj Khalifa, Opus is a little reminiscent of Zaha Hadid Architects’ Morpheus Hotel in Macau, China, but doesn’t have the same steel exoskeleton on its exterior.
Opus is 93-m (305 ft)-tall and has a total floorspace of 84,345 sq m (907,882 sq ft), spread over 20 floors, plus seven basement levels. Inside, it hosts a luxury ME by Meliá hotel, as well as a dozen restaurants, a rooftop bar, and 56,000 sq ft (5,202 sq m) of office space.
Structurally, the glazed building consists of two separate towers that are connected with a large four-story atrium at ground level, and a 38-m (124 ft)-wide, three-story sky bridge situated 71 m (232 ft) above ground. The asymmetric void created lends it a compelling appearance and also offers the practical benefit of views of the exterior from the center of the building.
The project was first unveiled back in 2012 and the interiors are still being finished for the hotel, which is expected to open to guests in mid-2020. Indeed, the bathroom depicted in the renders appear to be the late architect’s Vitae line.
Striking Zaha Hadid-designed building puts a void in a cuboid [New Atlas]