Nadir Primary Function: ᱨᱤᱥᱚᱨᱴ by Paolo Demel is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ in ᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ, ᱤᱢᱟᱨᱚᱛ ᱟᱨ ᱜᱟᱲᱚᱱ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ Competition Category.
ᱠᱟᱥᱟᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ· 2026
Nadir Primary Function: ᱨᱤᱥᱚᱨᱴ
by Paolo Demel
Client: Paolo Demel
A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ Winner in ᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180614The Design
About Nadir Primary Function: ᱨᱤᱥᱚᱨᱴ
Book Text: ᱱᱟᱫᱤᱨ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱴᱟᱠᱟᱢᱟ ᱢᱟᱨᱩᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱨᱤᱥᱚᱨᱴ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱠᱷᱚᱸᱰᱟ ᱮᱱ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱦᱤᱠᱟᱹ ᱠᱟᱠᱢᱟ ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱠᱚᱢ ᱥᱤᱫᱷᱟ ᱟᱭᱛᱚᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱷᱤᱨᱤ ᱨᱮ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱰᱷᱚᱸᱠ ᱞᱚᱜᱤᱭᱟ, ᱦᱚᱭ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱵᱟᱺᱪᱟᱣ ᱰᱟᱦᱟᱨ ᱟᱨ ᱩᱢᱩᱞ ᱫᱩᱣᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱟᱜᱩ ᱠᱮᱫᱟ ᱾ ᱫᱟᱜ ᱫᱚ ᱨᱟᱲᱟ ᱫᱟᱨᱯᱚᱱ ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱵᱟᱦᱨᱮ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱰᱚᱵᱷᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱮᱱᱤᱭᱚᱱ ᱨᱤᱢᱤᱞ ᱠᱚ ᱰᱟᱨᱯᱚᱱ ᱮᱫᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱛᱚᱨᱮᱱ ᱯᱩᱠᱩᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱷᱚᱸᱰᱟ ᱠᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱠᱢᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱦᱟᱴᱤᱧ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱛᱚᱨᱮᱱ ᱛᱚᱨᱮᱱ ᱫᱷᱤᱨᱤ ᱛᱚᱸᱜᱮ ᱟᱨ ᱚᱠᱩᱞᱩᱥ ᱩᱫᱟᱹᱲ ᱛᱮ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱫᱚ ᱛᱟᱭᱚᱢ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱸᱜᱤ ᱢᱟᱦᱟ ᱚᱲᱟᱜᱟ, ᱪᱚᱢᱠᱟᱹ ᱟᱨ ᱨᱟᱲᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱠᱚᱢ ᱠᱟᱛᱮᱫᱟ ᱾ ᱵᱟᱞᱤ ᱨᱚᱸᱜ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱫᱷᱤᱨᱤ ᱠᱟᱡ, ᱪᱚᱢᱠᱟᱹ ᱟᱨ ᱠᱚᱢ ᱟᱥᱵᱟᱵ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱨᱟᱲᱟ ᱯᱟᱞᱮᱴ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱲᱟᱜ ᱟᱨ ᱡᱚᱛᱚ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱠᱚ ᱡᱚᱨ ᱮᱢᱟ ᱾
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ
Nadir Primary Function: ᱨᱤᱥᱚᱨᱴ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱟᱣᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ Nadir Primary Function: ᱨᱤᱥᱚᱨᱴ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
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)
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