The Opus ... new attractions at the Business Bay.

Omniyat Properties, the real estate development arm of the UAE based Omniyat Holdings, is having a busy schedule ahead at the Business Bay, with its Dh1.7 billion ($463 million) luxury commercial development The Opus breaking ground and its Dh550 million The Binary entering Phase One.

The luxurious, 85,000 sq m The Opus will be situated on a unique “island”.
Designed by Hadid, the project boasts a waterfront location and is strategically positioned to offer its tenants exclusivity, with a spectacular view of Burj Dubai and without any adjoining properties or projects.
“Expected to be completed by early 2010, The Opus represents a new era for commercial development which will become the most prestigious and iconic project in Business Bay, in terms of its premier location, state-of-the-art design and revolutionary form,” says Mehdi Amjad, CEO of Dubai Properties.
“The Opus is a symbiotic mix of technology and art, creating a structure that resembles a cube with a void in the middle. It will consist of three individual towers that are fused to create the illusion of one single structure.”
The void is a distinctive feature of The Opus and is treated as a volume in its own right. It creates the illusion of extending past the physical boundaries of the structure, and is clad with fully-engineered curved glass curtain-wall systems, allowing stunning views into its centre. The glass façade is made up of reflective patterns in the form of pixelated striations to provide a degree of reflectivity and materiality, while assisting in the reduction of solar heat inside the building.
Three floors of the Opus will be dedicated to retail and food and beverage outlets. The retail design is inspired by natural light and space, creating a shopping and dining experience that will offer unparalleled style and sophistication, says Amjad.
Meanwhile, work on The Binary has also entered its first phase, with the main construction work having been awarded to the Dutco Balfour Beatty Group. The enabling works, which started in March this year, have almost been completed along with five per cent of the overall development.
The Binary will comprise dual 21 and 25-storey freehold commercial towers fused at the centre. The towers will offer office space ranging from 600 to 1,935 sq ft in size. The state-of-the-art project will be elevated over a four-level podium, which will contain commercial and retail shops.
“The Binary is the first to be based on the company’s new Oyster concept of office design, an acronym for Offices Yielding Superior Targets through Efficiency and Relaxation. Buildings based on this concept are self contained and produce excellent results, just like an oyster, which is self-contained and produces the pearl,” explains Amjad.
The Tranquillity Zones include the first beach-deck in the Middle East, an artificial beach with real sand, real water and waves and real “beach sounds” – courtesy, a simulator. The beach-deck, which is an open space on the podium roof, features sun-lounges where employees can go for creative inspiration or just to relax. It also includes a section with Nap-Shells, a closed bed where people can take a 15-minute power nap anytime during the day. As with all Omniyat Properties’ developments, The Binary will be also infused with intelligent technology, such as voice over internet telephony, radio frequency identification and biometric access.
Since its inception, Omniyat Properties has launched two residential and five commercial projects valued at over Dh4.9 billion. Building on its momentum, this figure is set to rise to Dh10 billion by the end of this year, making it one of the region’s fastest growing property developers.