Residential Towers in the Makers District: Pixel by MVRDV

The Pixel residential complex, currently under construction in Abu Dhabi’s Makers District, is taking shape. The project area measures 85,000 m² and will feature 525 apartments of various sizes. The Dutch studio, in collaboration with building company CNTC and client IMKAN, have conceived a typological contrast to the high-rise settlements that prevail in the United Arab Emirates.

Pixel encompasses seven apartment towers arranged around a central plaza. The façades “cascade” towards the base of each building in groupings of balconies and oriels. The design pays homage to pearl hunting with nacre-like ceramic patterns on the exterior surfaces of the structures. Jacob van Rijs, a founding partner of MVRDV, comments: “Our design creates outdoor spaces with … the ‘pixel’ balconies to encourage a sense of community spirit, enabling this … creative atmosphere.”

The lower levels of the towers will be home to compact pixel cubes accommodating shops, cafés, restaurants and offices for start-up enterprises. Moreover, the central plaza will form part of the Artery: a large-scale pedestrian zone leading through the entire Makers District. BIG have taken on the task of designing this area. The Pixel is slated for completion at the end of 2021.

Further information: 

Principal in charge: Jacob van Rijs

Director: Stefan de Koning

Design Team: Edina Peli, Ronald Hoogeveen, Mariya Gyaurova, Akshey Krishna Venkatesh, Kristin Schaefer, Katarzyna Nowak, Kevin Loftus, Luca Vacchini, Mirco Facchinelli, Meng Yang, Katarzyna Plonka and Ole Allin Egebaek

Visualization: Antonio Luca Coco, Paolo Mossa Idra, Costanza Cuccato, Davide Calabro, Pavlos Ventouris, Kirill Emelianov, Tomaso Maria Maschietti, Massimiliano Marzoli and Giovanni Coni

Strategy & Development: Willeke Vester

Copyright: MVRDV 2018 – (Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries)

Co-Architects: Dewan Architects + Engineers

Engineering and Project Management: Ramboll Middle East Cost Control: Turner & Townsend

Landscape and public realm design: Bjarke Ingels Group: BIG Artist: Nicole Martens