BIM in Architecture: Exploring Dubai's Opus Hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects

Located in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa district, this hotel is the first ME by Melia property designed by Zaha Hadid Architects for Omniyat in the Middle East. Melia Hotels Group is a leading global hotel management company, operating over 350 hotels across 39 countries.

The design features two independent towers merged into a unified structure shaped like cubes. These cubes are sculpted to form a central void, a significant volume within the building that offers views of the surrounding scenery. This fluid, eight-story space contrasts with the precise orthogonal geometry of the surrounding cubes.

The two towers are connected on the ground floor by a four-story atrium and a 71-meter-high pedestrian bridge. This asymmetric, three-story bridge spans 38 meters in width. In partnership with Dubai Melia, the hotel will feature 12 restaurants, a rooftop bar, and 5,200 square meters of office space.

Mahdi Amjad, Executive Chairman and CEO of Omniyat, said, “This project reflects Omniyat’s vision of treating every development as a unique piece of art. The design embodies the innovative spirit of Zaha Hadid Architects’ BIM expertise, expressing a sculptural emotion that balances solidity and space, opacity and transparency, as well as interior and exterior.”

The Vice Chairman and CEO of Melia Hotels Group praised the project, stating, “Zaha Hadid Architects always surprise with their designs, but this creation for the Melia Hotel in Dubai has exceeded our expectations.”

Project Details:

Architectural Firm: Zaha Hadid Architects

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Design Team: Zaha Hadid, Patrik Schumacher, Christos Passas

ZHA Design Director: Christos Passas

Total Building Area: 84,345 square meters

Year Completed: 2019

Photographer: Laurian Ghinitoiu

Competition Team: Christos Passas (Lead Designer), Paul Peyrer-Heimstaett, Alvin Huang, Daniel Baerlecken, Gemma Douglas, Saleem Al-Jalil

Design Team (Envelope and Core): Vincent Nowak (Project Architect), Dimitris Akritopoulos, Javier Ernesto-Lebie, Paul Peyrer-Heimstaett, Sylvia Georgiadou, Phivos Skroumbelos, Marilena Sophocleous, Chiara Ferrari, Thomas Frings, Jesus Garate, Wenyuan Peng

Base Construction Supervision Team: Fabian Hecker (Team Leader), Barbara Bochnak (Team Leader), Tomasz Starczewski, Kwanphil Cho, Bruno Pereira, Dimitris Kolonis

Project Management: Gleeds (London), Omniyat (Dubai)

Local Architects: Arex Consultants (Dubai), BSBG (Dubai)

Client: Omniyat

Hotel Apartment Interior Design Team 1: Reza Esmaeeli, Bozana Komljenovic (Project Leads), Laura Micalizzi, Emily Rohrer (Senior Interior Designers), Veronika Ilinskaya, Eider Fernandez Eibar, Stella Nikolakaki, Bruno Pereira, Raul Forsoni, Thomas Frings, Chrysi Fradellou, Spyridon Kaprinis, Alexandra Fischer, Hendrik Rupp, Vivian Pashiali, Sofia Papageorgiou, Carlos Luna, Christos Sazos, Kwanphil Cho, Andri Shalou, Ben Kikkawa, Melhem Sfeir, Faten el Meri, Eleni Mente (Landscape Designer)

Hotel Apartment Interior Design Team 2: Alessio Constantino (Project Lead), Sonia Renehan (Senior Interior Designer), Afsoon Es Haghi, Zsuzsanna Barat, Ekaterina Smirnova, Chafic Zerrouki, Nessma Al Ghoussein, Christina Christodoulidou

Customized Home Team: Maha Kutay (Project Director), Margherita Valova, Reza Esmaeeli, Raul Forsoni, Bruno Pereira, Carine Posner, Filipa Gomes

Structural Engineers: Whitbybird (London), BG&E (Dubai)

Mechanical and Electrical Pipeline Engineers: Clarke Samadin (Dubai)

Facade Engineers: Whitbybird (London), Agnes Koltay Facades (Dubai)

Elevator Consultants: Adam Scott, Roger Preston Dynamics (London), Lerch Bates (Dubai)

Fire Engineering: Safe (London)

Design Assurance: PMK (Dubai)

Transportation Consultants: Cansult Limited (Dubai), Al Tourath (Dubai)

Lighting Consultants: Tim Downey, Isometrix (London), DPA (Dubai), Illuminate (Dubai)

Interior Decoration Consultant: HBA (Dubai)

Security Advisor: Control Risks (Dubai)

Kitchen Consultant: MCTS (Dubai)

AV Consultant: EntreTech (Dubai)

Quantity Surveyor: HQS (Dubai)

Facade Contractors: Brookfield Multiplex (London), Alu Nasa (Dubai)

Hotel Operator: Melia Hotels

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