Inside the Zaha Hadid-designed ME Dubai
Taking residence within The Opus by Omniyat building in the heart of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa district, ME Dubai is the first and last hotel where the late Iraqi-British architect Dame Zaha Hadid has designed both the exterior and interiors, making it her legacy project. Hadid was famous for her futuristic architecture, characterised by curves, sharp angles and bold materials, and ME Dubai is no exception.
Spanning 2,000,000ft2, The Opus comprises two separate towers that connect in the form of a cube and a carved central void, which appears to hover above the ground and frames dramatic views of the exterior. During the day, the building is a luminous surface, reflecting the Dubai sun, while come evening, LED lighting highlights its the vivid character. “The precise orthogonal geometries of the Opus’ elemental glass cube contrast dramatically with the fluidity of the eight-storey void at its centre,” explains Christos Passas, Project Director at Zaha Hadid Architects.
The void’s 6,000m2 façade was created from 4,300 individual units of flat, single-curved or double-curved glass. The high-efficiency glazing units comprise 8mm Low-E glass (coated on the inside), a 16mm cavity between the panes and two layers of 6mm clear glass with a 1.52mm PVB resin laminate. This curved façade was designed using digital 3D modelling, which also identified zones that required tempered glass.
Inside, the hotel features 74 guestrooms and 19 suites – including the Passion Suite, Personality Suite, Vibe Room and the ultra-luxurious ME Suite – with Hadid’s design reinventing the balance between solid and void, opaque and transparent, and interior and exterior. The property also features signature furniture throughout the lobby, lounges and reception areas, all of which was either designed or personally selected by Zaha Hadid. Guests can choose from three owned F&B outlets, including Central, the Refuel & Relax pool bar and The Opus Studio. In addition, The Opus building offers 15 F&B outlets including Roka, a contemporary Japanese robatayaki restaurant, as well as Maine Land Brasserie. Elsewhere, the spa at ME Dubai provides a variety of treatments for individuals or couples to unwind.
As the brand’s first Middle Eastern property, ME Dubai boasts a tangible commitment to sustainability. It aims to raise the bar on sustainable practices for hotel operations in the city in line with the UAE’s Vision 2021, to be among the world’s leading countries prioritising evolving sustainable development while preserving the environment. Initiatives being introduced across the hotel include a partnership with UAE-based company, No More Bottles, to install drinking water filtration systems throughout all guestrooms, demonstrating ME Dubai’s commitment to being entirely plastic-free and reducing its carbon footprint.
