Beyond the Facade: Capturing Zaha Hadid’s Legacy at ME Dubai

I’ve had a history with The Opus by Zaha Hadid. In the past, I shot the hotel’s exteriors for Guardian Glass, one of its primary construction suppliers. I’ve also photographed the atrium and one of the showcase apartments on the upper floors. But until recently, I had never stepped inside one of the actual hotel rooms operated by ME Dubai by Melia.

That changed on July 4th, 2026, during an architectural photography workshop held in cooperation with ME Dubai by Melia. They kindly hosted Fujifilm Middle East and myself as the lead instructor in my role as their brand ambassador. It turned out to be a great opportunity to finally capture the guest spaces. The hotel management was remarkably accommodating, giving our group access to their largest space: the Presidential Suite, which offers views of Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa. We also got to shoot the atrium, the pool deck, and a few other key public areas.

Because our time was limited, we didn't have the luxury of careful staging like on a standard commissioned shoot, where you have producers, stylists, coordinators, and assistants dialing in every detail. We simply had to make the best framing decisions we could on the fly.

To prepare, I assigned the participants homework before the shoot. They had to analyze the photos on the hotel’s official website, anticipate the flow of the space, and plan a cohesive story of 12 to 15 images covering hero shots, general views, medium frames, and fine details.

This assignment mattered because ME Dubai is unique: it is the only hotel in the world where every single element was designed entirely by Zaha Hadid herself. Not just the architectural shell, but the furniture, bathroom fixtures, carpets, and accessories. It was her magnum opus and her legacy, a project she designed independently but sadly never saw completed before her passing ahead of its 2020 opening. I wanted the participants to feel that weight and capture the heart and soul of her final design.

I felt that same responsibility myself. Beyond shooting to the best of my ability, I wanted to edit these hospitality shots, so their true essence came through, polished, sophisticated, and free of distractions.

For this shoot, I relied on the Fujifilm GFX 100 II paired with the Fujinon GF 20-35mm, the GF TS30mm tilt-shift lens, and the GF 45-100mm. In post-production, I used Photoshop along with a few select plugins to clean up the frames and dial in the color grading.

I really like how this collection came out. There are many other rooms in the hotel that vary quite a bit from the Presidential Suite, but I feel this set represents the overall design intent, stylistic direction, and ambiance of ME Dubai by Melia very well. I wish I had more time to explore the rest of the property, but I'm glad it leaves me with something to look forward to next time.

Below this post, you'll find two photo galleries: the first showcasing the work from the 2022 assignment, and the second highlighting the recent 2026 shoot.

2022 Gallery

2026 Gallery

All images and videos displayed in this gallery are the exclusive property of the creator (Beno Saradzic) and are protected by international copyright laws. No part of these images or videos may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including downloading, copying, or saving, without prior written permission from the copyright owner (Beno Saradzic). Unauthorized use of these images or videos is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action.

If you wish to use any of these images or videos for personal or commercial purposes, please contact the copyright owner (Beno Saradzic) to obtain proper authorization.

Thank you for respecting the rights of the creator and valuing original content.

Project Information: ME Dubai by Meliá

Project name: ME Dubai by Meliá

Location: Business Bay, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Type: Hospitality Size: 250 rooms and suites within The Opus

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects

Interior Design: Zaha Hadid Design

Completion: 2020

Client: Omniyat

Operator: Meliá Hotels International

Notable Features: Fully designed by Zaha Hadid, including architecture, interiors, furniture and fixtures

Key Spaces: Atrium, Presidential Suite, pool deck, F&B venues, sculptural lobby

Building: The Opus, mixed‑use development