Nadir Fonksyon Prensipal: Rezò vakans by Paolo Demel

Nadir Fonksyon Prensipal: Rezò vakans by Paolo Demel is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Bwonz in Achitekti Competition Category.

BwonzAchitekti· 2026

Nadir Fonksyon Prensipal: Rezò vakans

by Paolo Demel

Client: Paolo Demel

A' Design Award Bwonz Winner in Achitekti Category

6,268
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180614

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Nadir Fonksyon Prensipal: Rezò vakans

Tèks Liv: Nadir se yon rezò vakans ki chita anndan Dezè Atacama a, ki fèt kòm yon achitekti ki sanble tankou li te fouye soti nan tè a. Volim ba ak liy dwat yo chita byen sere sou wòch la, ki fòme lòjya pwofon, lakou pwoteje kont van ak papòt ki gen lonbraj. Yo itilize dlo kòm yon miwa ki bay frechè, avèk basen deyò ki reflete syèl gòj la ak pisin ki fon ki okipe chanm sizle yo. Anndan yo fòme pa sifas wòch an kouch ak ouvèti okilis ki kite limyè jou an kontwole antre, sa ki redwi ekleraj vyolan ak chalè. Yon palèt sobri ak mason koulè sab, ekleraj ak mèb minimal mete aksan sou abri ak yon vi ki laj.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Bwonz

Nadir Fonksyon Prensipal: Rezò vakans se yon ganyan A' Design Award Bwonz, yon rekonesans ki gen anpil prestij yo bay design ekselan ki make pa kreyativite, enjenyozite ak finès. Ganyan Bwonz yo se objè ki abil anpil e ki kreyatif nan fason ki frape, ki otantifye gwo eksperyans, imajinasyon ak debouyaj designer yo. Yo atann Nadir Fonksyon Prensipal: Rezò vakans pou se yon objè anpil moun estime, admire e renmen, ki pwofesyonèl e inovatè nan fason remakab. Design sa a ki ganyen A' Design Award Bwonz enkòpore pi bon pratik nan atizay, syans, design ak teknoloji, e li ekselan pou atansyon li bay detay. Nadir Fonksyon Prensipal: Rezò vakans satisfè bezwen yon fason espledid, li touche dezi, li chame santiman e li atire kiryozite.

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)