Ardee unveils Ardee Downtown on Al Marjan Island, RAK

Dubai, UAE - Developer Ardee has made its brand debut by revealing Ardee Downtown, a mixed-use district on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, adding it to a portfolio whose gross development value tops $4.08 billion (AED 15 billion).

Ardee calls the district the emirate’s first fully-fledged mixed-use premium downtown, and presented it as its flagship scheme at the company’s launch event. Its island holdings now total 5.2 million sq ft of gross floor area, or 9 million sq ft of built-up area once all space is counted, split between urban and waterfront plots.

Plans put a signature lifestyle mall at the heart of the district, together with restaurants, hotels, leisure and entertainment, while the Ardee Views towers supply its housing.

The company was set up in 2023 by its chairman, Romeo Abdo, and says its leadership brings decades of experience in creating destinations, placemaking and building communities. Fairmont, part of Accor; Pelli Clarke & Partners; DP Architects; Turner International Middle East (TiME); Mirage; and Marjan, master developer of the island, are among its partners.

At the launch, Abdullah Al Abdouli, Group CEO of Marjan, said: “Al Marjan Island is an iconic destination where the developers are now shaping its character. Ardee’s commitment is a significant one, and the Downtown makes the whole destination stronger. Our role as master developer is to make early commitments and put the foundations in place, so partners can build here with confidence. That is how we curate growth that creates opportunity for Ras Al Khaimah.”

Natalie Bogdanova, Managing Director and Executive Board Member of Ardee, who gave the opening keynote, said: “Al Marjan Island offers a rare opportunity to create something at the scale of an entire destination, where land meets water and nature meets ambition. That scale allows us to think differently about how every part of a destination works together, from homes and hospitality to retail, leisure, and public spaces. Our ambition is to contribute to Ras Al Khaimah’s next phase of growth with a mixed-use destination that brings investment, community, and everyday experiences together, and where people aspire to live, connect and belong together. With today’s launch, that vision begins to take shape.”

Ardee Downtown will mix homes, offices, hotels, shops and leisure in one connected neighbourhood in the middle of the island. Its 3.5 million sq ft of gross floor area counts Ardee Views, and the housing will come as apartments, branded residences and townhouses.

Shops and restaurants will occupy upwards of 600,000 sq ft, led by the lifestyle mall and a cluster of dining pavilions. They will face a pedestrian promenade running 600 metres along the water, together with green areas the developer intends to use for leisure, entertainment and events in every season.

Ardee said the scheme is shaped around daily routines and premium standards, and will include lively plazas, programming from morning to evening, wellness amenities and curated cultural venues. People living in or visiting the district should be able to switch easily between work, leisure, culture and celebration, the company added.

Open-air dining, artisanal cafés and community events in the public areas are meant to draw families and neighbours together. Four landscaped parks will tie Ardee Downtown into the wider island community.

The waterfront promenade is designed to stay busy from daytime into the evening. Alongside premium shops and bold restaurant concepts, it will offer flexible areas for pop-ups and events, with restaurants, art installations, immersive light shows and events scheduled across the year bringing it to life, according to Ardee.

Revealed at the same event, Ardee Views is a 652-unit pair of residential towers. They mark the entrance to Ardee Downtown and act as its connection to Ardee Waterfront.

Amenities on the podium deck will include a signature restaurant and club lounge with views across Downtown, a 40-metre resort-style pool and a gym. Residents will also get community retail, a residents’ lounge, and valet and concierge services.

The new district comes after the Fairmont Residences and Hotel Fairmont Al Marjan Island, launched by Ardee last year as phase one of Ardee Waterfront. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and delivered with Fairmont, part of Accor, the $545 million (AED 2 billion) hotel and branded housing scheme has 1.7 million sq ft of gross floor area on a 350-metre stretch of beach facing the sunset.

Ardee broke ground on the Fairmont project in January, when piling work started on site.

It is planned to contain a 224-key Fairmont hotel and 516 Fairmont-branded homes, from apartments and townhouses up to ultra-premium villas on the sea. A signature rooftop pool and wellness, dining and fitness facilities are reserved for residents.

Taken together, Ardee Waterfront and Ardee Downtown form one masterplanned destination, which Ardee expects to reach more than 4,000 premium residences when fully built, spanning apartments, branded residences, townhouses and beachfront villas.

Ardee said that every area, figure, value and date rests on the current masterplan and is still subject to design development and regulatory approval in Ras Al Khaimah, and that delivery dates are indicative targets.

Delivery of Ardee Downtown is due to start in 2030 and continue in phases. Ardee will handle the full lifecycle, from positioning and product design to delivery and long-term management of the community.