Nadir Primarna funkcija: Odmaralište by Paolo Demel

Nadir Primarna funkcija: Odmaralište by Paolo Demel is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Brončana nagrada A' Design Award in Dizajn Arhitekture, Zgrada i Konstrukcija Competition Category.

BronzaArhitektura· 2026

Nadir Primarna funkcija: Odmaralište

by Paolo Demel

Client: Paolo Demel

Brončana nagrada A' Design Award Winner in Arhitektura Category

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Nadir Primarna funkcija: Odmaralište

Tekst knjige: Nadir je odmaralište smješteno u pustinji Atacama, projektovano kao arhitektura koja izgleda kao da je isklesana iz terena. Niski pravolinijski volumeni tijesno naliježu na stijenu, formirajući duboke lође, dvorišta zaštićena od vjetra i zasjenjene pragove. Voda se koristi kao rashladno ogledalo, s vanjskim bazenima koji odražavaju kanjonsko nebo i ukopanim bazenima koji zauzimaju isklesane odaje. Enterijeri su oblikovani slojevitim kamenim površinama i okulus otvorima koji propuštaju kontrolisanu dnevnu svjetlost, smanjujući odsjaj i toplotu. Suzdržana paleta zidarstva u boji pijeska, rasvjete i minimalnog namještaja naglašava zaklon i prostran pogled.

The Recognition

About the Brončana nagrada A' Design Award

Nadir Primarna funkcija: Odmaralište je pobjednik Brončane nagrade A' Design Award, visoko prestižnog priznanja koje se dodjeljuje izvanrednim dizajnima što se odlikuju kreativnošću, domišljatošću i oštroumnošću. Brončani pobjednici izdašno su vješti i upečatljivo kreativni artefakti koji potvrđuju golemo iskustvo, maštu i snalažljivost svojih dizajnera. Očekuje se da Nadir Primarna funkcija: Odmaralište bude visoko cijenjen, voljen i njegovan predmet koji je izuzetno profesionalan i inovativan. Ovaj dizajn koji je osvojio Brončanu nagradu A' Design Award uključuje najbolje prakse u umjetnosti, nauci, dizajnu i tehnologiji i izvrstan je zbog pažnje posvećene detaljima. Nadir Primarna funkcija: Odmaralište sjajno zadovoljava potrebe, dotiče želje, očarava osjećaje i privlači znatiželju.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: A monolithic resort in Chile’s Atacama Desert, carved from stratified stone where architecture is defined by void rather than object. Thick, high thermal mass walls, shaded courtyards, and top lit oculi provide passive cooling and controlled daylight. Water elements temper the microclimate and enhance reflections, while a restrained stone and wood palette delivers timeless, durable luxury integrated with the canyon.
Dimensions & Packaging: The resort covers approximately 5,000 square meters and features an outdoor pool, 3 indoor pools, as well as a full wellness area with a Turkish bath, sauna, and relaxation area. The pools range in depth from 1 meter to 3 meters.
Tags: Atacama Desert, desert resort, carved architecture, Nadir oasis, Nadir resort, design oasis, Nadir concept
Production Technology: Developed through iterative massing and void carving studies plan and section first, then 3D parametric modeling to control oculi, courtyard proportions and shadow lines. Material assembly logic is based on locally sourced stone or stone veneer on RC frame with high thermal mass, ventilated cavities, concealed linear LEDs, and waterproofed pool shells designed for low maintenance desert operation.
Design Challenge: The hardest part was balancing excavation with comfort and safety in an extreme desert: creating shaded, quiet interior oases without losing daylight, views, or a clear guest journey. Limited water, harsh sun, thermal swings and fragile geology pushed us to use the rock mass as a climate buffer, minimize exposed facades, and choreograph light wells and courtyards.
Research: design research and site study. Objectives: create a low glare, sheltered resort embedded in rock, with water as an oasis cue. Methodology: climate solar mapping, spatial sequencing, and iterative massing tests. Data Tools: sun path, wind data, 3D models
Inspiration: Inspired by the Atacama’s stratified geology and pre Columbian desert settlements, the project treats architecture as a carved refuge space shaped by subtraction, shade, and silence. Research into thermal mass, controlled zenithal daylight, and evaporative microclimates informed courtyards, oculi, and water basins to create comfort with minimal mechanical demand.
Project Duration: Nadir Resort is a hospitality concept developed from august 2025 to February 2026 for a site in the Atacama Desert, Chile. The proposal integrates architecture with existing rock formations by partial excavation, forming protected courtyards and interior pool spaces. The project was prepared as a design competition submission and visualised through iterative spatial and material studies.
Operation Flow: Guests arrive from the open desert and slip into a cooler, carved threshold. A gentle descent leads through shaded passages where sound, texture and warm light guide the way. Skylights and cuts in the rock reveal a sequence of indoor outdoor oases: pools, lounges and quiet rooms. Movement shifts naturally from social spaces to private retreat, while the surrounding stone keeps the atmosphere calm and temperate.
Image Credits: Image #1 : Paolo Demel (designer), Image #2 : Paolo Demel (designer), Image #3 : Paolo Demel (designer), Image #4 : Paolo Demel (designer), Image #5 : Paolo Demel (designer)