The Row Saadiyat by Aldar Properties in Saadiyat Cultural District
Quick Information
Detail | Information |
|---|---|
Developer | Aldar Properties |
Location | Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi |
Property type | 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments |
Starting price | From around AED 3.7 million |
Payment plan | Phase 1: 5% down, 60% during construction, 35% on handover |
Handover | Q1 2030 |
Ownership | Freehold, open to all nationalities |
Architect | BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) |
The Row Saadiyat is a boutique residential quarter by Aldar in the Saadiyat Cultural District, designed by the internationally known architecture firm BIG with interiors by Kettle Collective. It's made up of seven mid-rise buildings of nine storeys each, set against the Zayed National Museum and a short walk from the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.
Unlike most apartment launches, The Row is built around street life. The ground floors are given over to dining, wellness and lifestyle spaces, and shaded, air-conditioned walkways link the buildings directly to Saadiyat Grove's retail and to Mamsha Beach. Phase 1, launched in November 2025, released 315 apartments across three buildings, and Aldar has since opened a second phase.
Project Overview
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Project name | The Row Saadiyat |
Developer | Aldar Properties |
Location | Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE |
Status | Off-plan, under construction |
Buildings | Seven mid-rise buildings, nine storeys each, plus two basement parking levels |
Phase 1 | 315 apartments across three buildings |
Unit types | 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments |
Unit sizes | From about 957 sq ft to more than 4,800 sq ft |
Architect and interiors | BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) and Kettle Collective |
Sustainability targets | 3 Pearl Estidama and 2-star Fitwel |
Handover | Q1 2030 |
Location and Connectivity
The Row sits in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District, at the southwestern end of Saadiyat Island closest to the bridge into central Abu Dhabi. That makes it one of the few addresses where museums, the beach, luxury retail and the city centre are all within minutes.
Destination | Approximate distance or drive time |
|---|---|
Saadiyat Grove retail and Mamsha Beach | Direct access via shaded walkways |
Zayed National Museum | Adjacent |
Louvre Abu Dhabi | Within the Cultural District |
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (opening 11 December 2026) | Within the Cultural District |
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi | Within the Cultural District |
Abu Dhabi City Centre and Corniche | About 12 minutes |
Yas Island | About 20 minutes |
Zayed International Airport | About 25 minutes |
Drive times are approximate and depend on traffic. Schools on Saadiyat, including Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, and the NYU Abu Dhabi campus are a short drive away.
Property Types, Layouts and Sizes
The Row offers one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The three-bedroom homes are unusually large for an apartment building, which reflects the project's position at the top of the Abu Dhabi market.
Unit type | Approximate size | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom | About 957 sq ft | From around AED 3.7 million |
2-bedroom | About 1,496 to 2,895 sq ft | From around AED 5.8 million |
3-bedroom | More than 4,800 sq ft | From around AED 16 million |
Smart home systems are built into every apartment. Pricing depends on building, floor and view, and later releases may be priced differently, so confirm current availability for a specific unit with the sales team.
Payment Plan and Purchase Details
Phase 1 was sold on a plan weighted toward the construction period, with a small deposit and a moderate handover payment.
Payment stage | Phase 1 | Phase 2 |
|---|---|---|
Down payment | 5% | Included in construction payments |
During construction | 60% | 65% |
On handover (Q1 2030) | 35% | 35% |
Both phases put 65% of the price into the build period, which means more cash committed before completion but a smaller final balance. A 2% government registration fee applies. Phase 2 releases have started with one-bedroom apartments from around AED 3.7 million, with larger units to follow.
Amenities and Lifestyle
The Row treats amenities as part of the neighbourhood rather than something locked away on a podium. Much of it sits at street level and is designed to bring residents together.
Community and culture
The Other Space, a communal hub for art pop-ups and community events
Ground-floor dining and lifestyle venues
Co-working lounge
Wellness
Wellbeing club with fitness, spa and pool facilities
Wellness pod
Indoor swimming pools with children's areas
Rooftop spaces and landscaped gardens
Family and pets
Kids' clubs and play areas
Pet spa and grooming studio
Connectivity and services
Shaded, air-conditioned pedestrian bridges to Saadiyat Grove and Mamsha Beach
Two levels of basement parking
24/7 security and maintenance
Design
BIG, the Copenhagen and New York-based firm led by Bjarke Ingels, is known for buildings that rethink how people move through and use space. At The Row, that shows in the decision to keep buildings at nine storeys, open the ground floors to public life and connect everything through covered walkways, creating a walkable district rather than a set of isolated towers.
Inside, Kettle Collective, an award-winning design studio, has taken a refined and artistic approach that suits the museum setting. Aldar is also targeting a 3 Pearl Estidama rating and 2-star Fitwel certification, the latter focused on health and wellbeing in building design. Jonathan Emery, CEO of Aldar Development, said the development reflects Aldar's commitment to communities that are globally relevant and connected to their surroundings.
Investment Perspective
The Row sits in one of the most supply-constrained and culturally significant locations in the UAE. By the time it hands over in 2030, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, teamLab Phenomena, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will all be operating around it.
Design pedigree: Homes by globally recognised architects tend to hold appeal with high-end buyers and tenants over the long term.
Low-rise, limited supply: Seven nine-storey buildings is a small amount of stock for such a prime location.
Golden Visa: The UAE's 10-year property investor Golden Visa requires property worth AED 2 million or more. Every unit at The Row starts well above that level.
Price level: At around AED 3,900 per sq ft for entry-level units, this is premium pricing, and returns will depend on Saadiyat continuing to command top-tier values.
Timeline: A Q1 2030 handover means several years before rental income starts.
This is general market context, not financial advice.
About Aldar Properties
Aldar Properties is Abu Dhabi's largest listed real estate developer, responsible for many of the capital's best-known communities on Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Raha Beach and Al Reem Island, and increasingly active in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah. Mubadala Investment Company is its largest shareholder.
Saadiyat is one of Aldar's most important locations. Its portfolio on the island spans beachfront villas, branded residences, the Saadiyat Grove retail destination and apartment communities, and The Row adds a design-led, walkable quarter to that mix. Aldar's ownership of surrounding assets such as Saadiyat Grove is part of what makes the covered walkway links possible.
The company's financial scale supports long-build projects like this. Aldar reported a development backlog of AED 71.6 billion as of June 2026 and a 10% annual rise in Q2 2026 profit to AED 2.16 billion, according to The National. For buyers committing to a 2030 handover, a developer with that pipeline and balance sheet reduces delivery risk considerably.
About Saadiyat Cultural District
The Saadiyat Cultural District is Abu Dhabi's dedicated museum quarter, one of the most ambitious cultural projects in the world. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Jean Nouvel, opened in 2017, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi followed in 2025, and the Zayed National Museum, designed by Foster + Partners, opened in December 2025. The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, by Frank Gehry, is scheduled to open on 11 December 2026, and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi adds to the line-up.
Beyond the museums, the district blends into the rest of Saadiyat Island's lifestyle offer. Saadiyat Grove brings luxury retail and dining, Mamsha Al Saadiyat has a beachfront promenade with cafes and restaurants, and Saadiyat Beach is one of the best-known beaches in the Gulf. International schools and NYU Abu Dhabi's campus are nearby, and central Abu Dhabi is around 12 minutes away.
For residents, the district offers something rare in the UAE: a walkable neighbourhood where world-class culture, beaches and dining are part of daily life. For investors, it's a location underpinned by permanent public institutions that attract visitors all year, with limited residential land available, which supports long-term demand and value.