Gulf Construction Online - Soulful places

Abu Dhabi - UAE

Makers District ... a scenic mixed-use development.

Soulful places

A number of one-of-their-kind community developments are taking shape in various parts of Abu Dhabi as part of property developer Imkan’s ambitions of creating spaces that enrich people’s lives.

01 September 2020

In line with its mission to “create soulful places that enrich people’s lives”, Abu Dhabi-based real estate developer Imkan is engaged in a number of one-of-their-kind community developments and mixed-use projects that aim to redefine the real estate landscape and set new standards for community living.

These projects that are spread across Abu Dhabi include the Makers District on Reem Island, AlJurf along Sahel Al Emarat, Nudra on Saadiyat Island as well as Sheikha Fatima Park in Khalidiya District.

Makers District

Makers District is a scenic mixed-use development, strategically located on Reem Island, just across the water from the cultural hub of Saadiyat Island, offering contemporary living in a dynamic environment.

AlJurf ... set within a nature reserve on the UAE’s riviera, Sahel Al Emarat.

The first mixed-use project in this waterfront district is Pixel, a seven-tower complex incorporating residential, co-working office spaces, food and beverage (F&B) and retail outlets. Designed by contemporary design firm MVRDV, Pixel will be home to 525 contemporary apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom options. Alongside its residential offering, the neighbourhood will also include 94 boutique office units and 14 retail outlets.

“Highlighting our commitment to placemaking and overall community engagement, we have developed Pixel to be the ideal home for a community that fosters creativity, entrepreneurship, innovation and a strong sense of individualism,” a spokesman for Imkan tells Gulf Construction.

“We have dedicated our planning towards completing the community and the spaces in between simultaneously so our residents can enjoy a vibrant lifestyle as soon as they move into their new homes,” he adds.

In line with these plans, the concrete superstructure for Towers 5 and 6 of Pixel was due to be completed by the end of last month (August). The show apartment, located in the beachfront sales centre, is now open to the public.

The prefabricated bathroom pods for the apartments are currently being delivered to the site. The glazed ceramic terracotta balcony shading tiles have been approved and mass production is slated to commence this month (September).

Makers District will also feature a new kind of beach – Makers Beach – where installation of the reinforced concrete is 75 per cent complete.

AlJurf

AlJurf is a pristine coastal second home destination nestled within a nature reserve on the UAE’s riviera, Sahel Al Emarat, where construction work has recently commenced on the Phase One villas.

Following the award of a Dh236-million ($64.24 million) contract to build these 148 villas, the contractor Al Dhabi Contracting began construction of two show villas. The concrete frames of these two villas are now due to be completed by the end of this month (September), and fit-out works will commence in October.

“We have also received official approvals to commence with the foundation works for the remaining 146 villas, which are due for completion in February 2021,” the spokesman says.

Meanwhile, on site at the overall AlJurf development, the existing site buildings have been demolished to make way for this exclusive second home destination.

Work on Phase One began with site grading, which is now complete as has the relocation of the Etisalat telecommunication centres and the ADDC power lines to their permanent location.

Installation of infrastructure along the main avenue through AlJurf is now well under way.

“These utilities are up to 12 m deep and will service the entire development. We anticipate that the installation of the majority of the sewer system will be completed by the end of September 2020,” he says.

Work on the electrical substations and off-site connection to power and water has recently commenced, he adds.

Imkan is now gearing up to transplant some 1,400 native trees from one of its two on-site tree nurseries.

AlJurf is a short drive from Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Providing an authentic cultural and living experience, AlJurf pays homage to the nation’s rich history and heritage, according to the developer.

“The second home coastal destination is a lot more than just a beautiful location – it is a development that is continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation, architecture and sustainable community living,” the spokesman says. “As its developer, Imkan has undertaken a guardianship role by preserving the vision of our great nation’s ancestors and thus offers a tranquil gateway that is seamlessly integrated with its natural environment.”

The destination will also be home to the first SHA Wellness Clinic in the Middle East, which will bring its world-class treatments to the region for the very first time, he reveals.

Nudra ...comprising five beachfront plots and 32 premium villas.

Nudra

Meanwhile, work is well advanced on Nudra – an exclusive community located in the Saadiyat Cultural District – which is gearing up for its handover.

Designed with a focus on catering to the residents’ desire to express their own identity through their living spaces, Nudra is among the first developments in the UAE that introduces a ‘shell-and-core’ concept that allows residents to design their own home interiors.

Comprising five beachfront plots and 32 premium villas, Nudra is claimed to be the only community on the island with a private beach access. The Shores (Nudra’s five beach plots), The Beach Villas, and The Dunes Villas offer residents views of the Arabian Gulf as well as an array of first-class facilities including a state-of-the-art fitness club, tennis courts, two play area parks, and a community pool.

“A crucial element of our design plans for this development included the elevation of the ground level at the rear of the site by 6 m, in order to maximise the sea views for as many residents as possible,” says the spokesman.

The development is now receiving its final touches.

Elaborating on the current status of the project, he says: “Some 50 per cent of the villas offered by the contractor are up for final snagging. The landscaping and installation of the pool for the Nudra Show Villa D04 is now complete with the furniture, fittings and equipment (FF&E) in place. The show villa is now open for viewing.

“Construction of the central park lawn along with the planting of additional trees around the park is now 95 per cent complete and we are at 70 per cent completion for all the landscaping work around the community.

“The recreational zones such as a play area, tennis courts, gymnasium and swimming pool are 90 per cent complete,” he adds.

Construction of the infrastructure, VIP entrance, pathways and roads leading to the beach plots is 90 per cent complete. The main gate road and entrance including administration, maintenance and guard buildings are now complete including services for final connections to the main Saadiyat infrastructure.

Sheikha Fatima Park

Sheikha Fatima Park is a state-of-the-art open-air urban green space earmarked for Khalidiya District. The park is the district’s inner-city community green space created to be a place of discovery and family interactivity for the wider community around it. Using Imkan’s unique approach to community building and an emphasis on encouraging active wellness, the park will provide a trendy urban walkable environment catering to co-worker office spaces, outdoor event concepts, leisure activities, sports and wellness facilities, says the spokesman.

Located at the corner of two major arterial streets, Zayed the First and Al Bateen, and adjacent to roads that close at the corniche, the site is both physically and visually linked to the beach and the sea, and easily accessible from different areas of Abu Dhabi Island.

The project is planned to be implemented in two phases and final approval to close out its first phase was targeted by the end of last month (August) to facilitate tenant fit-out works, according to the spokesman. In addition, site activities and authority approvals related to the completion of the second phase is being progressed with in parallel.