In Abu Dhabi’s Makers District, a new neighborhood on Reem Island, MVRDV has completed Pixel, an 85,000-square-meter mixed-use complex with 525 apartments distributed across seven compact towers. As they descend, the towers lighten with terraces and bay windows, featuring shading screens made of tiles in 14 pastel shades inspired by the iridescent surface of a pearl. The positions and heights of the towers are designed to provide shading, encourage airflow, and create connections with the surrounding waterfront developments on three sides and the beach.

The project demonstrates an innovative approach to residential typologies in the Emirates, with a communal plaza at the center of the complex. The ground floor hosts restaurants, cafés, and shops, while the upper-level houses communal functions such as a gym, a clinic, an early learning center, and offices for start-ups, ensuring that the plaza remains lively throughout the entire day.