Pixel is the first project completed in Makers District, a new development on Abu Dhabi’s Reem Island that developer IMKAN bills as the new heart of Abu Dhabi – a creative counterpart to the city’s cultural hub on the nearby Saadiyat Island. The design capitalises on the innovative, cosmopolitan spirit of Makers District to offer an approach to living that is rare in the United Arab Emirates – with an emphasis on identity and a strong sense of place, an outdoor lifestyle, community spirit, and modest yet striking materials.

The façades facing this plaza are what truly bring the project to life: At their bases, the towers crumble into “pixels”, spilling out into the plaza to create terraces and bay windows. These extend the living spaces inside into the public realm, encouraging residents to enjoy the outdoors in the cooler months of the year. Water and green features in the plaza below help to cool the microclimate within the plaza, making for a more comfortable environment outdoors, with planned green roofs being added to the top of the pixels. Life in the apartments above blends with the life in the plaza, giving a sense of place to the project, and an identity which helps it stand out from other complexes in the Emirates.