The Opus, an AED 1.7 billion (US $0.8 billion) commercial and retail tower in Dubai Business Bay is on track for completion in quarter one of 2012, Omniyat Properties head of commercial Mark Phoenix told The Big Project.
Speaking following the completion of the first phase of the development, Phoenix said in spite of some minor challenges the construction works were going to plan with enabling works finished and the second phase already well underway. 
“There are over 400 construction workers on site at The Opus and we expect this number to increase as we continue through 2010. Our progress on Opus is in line with Omniyat’s mandate to deliver all launched projects to investors. We look forward to partnering with Brookfield Multiplex on
the second phase of construction.” Having erected the four largecapacity tower cranes and completed piling works and first basements, Brookfield Multiplex will now move forward with structural works towards the ground level.
This process has already commenced; it took the contractor 22 consecutive hours to pour more than 5000m³ of concrete for the first two large foundations, reinforced with around 1000 tons of steel.
The tower, which was designed by award-winning architect Zaha Hadid, covers a built up area of 85,000m² across 23 levels; five floors for retail use and 18 for commercial use.
The Opus won the LiveCom External Experience Award in 2007 from the UK’s International Visual Communication Association, Europe’s largest professional body for business and public sector communicators. Omniyat Properties added that it has already completed and handed over two commercial towers, Bayswater and One Business Bay in addition to the first two phases of The Square in Al Mamzar, Deira.
