Riviera Residences on Al Reem Island: a pearl facade by Herzog & de Meuron

Mered — 24 years in the market, with projects in New York, Moscow and Bodrum — chose no ordinary site for its Abu Dhabi debut: a waterfront plot on Oval Bay on Al Reem Island, and no ordinary architect either. Riviera Residences was designed by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, the studio behind Beijing's "Bird's Nest" stadium and London's Tate Modern. For Abu Dhabi's residential market, that is a genuinely rare pairing — architecture at this level has been scarce in the capital's housing segment.

Design and scale

The development spans about 240,000 square metres along the waterfront in the Shams district. The facade carries pearlescent inserts, a nod to the pearl-diving trade the region lived on before oil. The scheme comprises more than 850 residences — studios and one- to three-bedroom apartments, duplexes, villas and penthouses ranging from roughly 690 to just over 20,000 square feet, an unusually wide span even for the prime segment. Amenities include three fitness zones, a padel court, a spa with sauna, lounge areas, a business lounge and a private marina.

Timeline and status as of September 2026

Sales launched in November 2025. By April 2026 the project had completed more than 60% of enabling works and moved into deep foundations and piling — meaning construction had already progressed from announcement to physical site work, which is not always the case for off-plan launches. Handover is set for March 2029. Aggregator listings show launch prices from roughly AED 1.5–1.9 million for the smallest layouts; the developer publicly cites an interest-free payment plan spread across the full construction period, with no large lump sum due right after handover.

What it means for a buyer

Al Reem is no longer a peripheral address — the island sits within ADGM, Abu Dhabi's financial free zone, bordered by both business towers and waterfront. A residence carrying a Herzog & de Meuron signature shifts the district's price ceiling: previously, the premium on Al Reem came mainly from water views and hotel branding, not an architect's name. It is the same kind of premium as branded residences, just from a different source — reputation of design rather than a hotel operator. The risk is standard for early off-plan: three years to handover, but the district's surrounding infrastructure by 2029 will be considerably denser given ADGM's own growth, which works more in the project's favour than against it.

For what else is happening on Al Reem Island and which projects are launching alongside Riviera, see our district coverage.