CALDERA NAO
Energy Integrative Innovation // ARBUS
The project
Premium Eco-Resort – Sardinia
Ecological modular accommodation & NAO Immersion Dome
A Mediterranean refuge between rock, light and silence
At the heart of a wild Sardinian landscape, between dense maquis, limestone and sea horizon, CALDERA NAO is a forward-looking premium eco-resort project envisioned by COSTE Architectures.
More than a hotel, this is a sensitive architectural ecosystem:
a constellation of ecological modular dwellings articulated around a NAO Immersion dome dedicated to water and well-being.
Here, architecture does not impose itself on the landscape.
It accompanies it.
A gentle layout, a controlled density
The resort unfolds along the natural slope, following a logic of low ground footprint.
The accommodation units, set in a staggered arrangement, ensure:
- Complete privacy
- Framed views of the maquis and the sea
- An absence of overlooking
- Natural integration into the topography
Each module rests lightly on the ground, limiting earthworks and preserving soil permeability.
Ecological modular dwellings
The villas and suites are designed according to an off-site modular principle:
- Optimised low-carbon-footprint structure
- Biosourced and mineral materials
- Façades pigmented in earth and ochre tones
- Large openings framing the natural landscape
Inside:
- Light mineral concrete and lime renders
- Built-in benches
- Pure lines
- Cross-flowing natural light
- Fluid indoor / outdoor relationship
Luxury here is spatial, luminous, silent.
Modularity allows:
- Cost control
- Speed of implementation
- Programme adaptability
- International reproducibility of the concept
The heart of the project: the NAO Immersion Dome
At the centre of CALDERA NAO unfolds a signature structure:
the NAO Immersion Dome.
A light geodesic volume, wrapped in timber and technical membranes, it houses:
- A living-water pool
- Sensory journeys
- An aquatic breathing space
- Immersive sound and light experiences
This dome is not a conventional spa.
It is the differentiating element of the resort.
The water is treated according to biological principles inspired by natural ecosystems.
Clarity, softness, mineral sensation — without chemical over-treatment.
It becomes the place of convergence, of slowing down, of reconnection.
An integrated environmental approach
CALDERA NAO rests on a coherent environmental strategy:
Mediterranean bioclimatic design
- Cross-flow natural ventilation
- Solar protection through overhangs and screens
- Thermal inertia of mineral materials
Responsible water management
- Rainwater harvesting
- Greywater reuse for irrigation
- Biological pools
- NAO Immersion as a living-water demonstrator
Energy
- Integrated photovoltaics
- Solar thermal generation
- Consumption optimisation
The aim is not ecological signalling, but coherence.
A strategic positioning
CALDERA NAO is intended for:
- Premium hotel operators seeking a strong architectural signature
- Investors looking for a reproducible modular model
- High-end glamping operators evolving towards eco-luxury
It sits at the crossroads of:
- The contemporary eco-resort
- The Mediterranean wellness retreat
- Low-density immersive hospitality
A COSTE Architectures signature
This forward-looking project demonstrates the ability of COSTE Architectures to:
- Design premium resorts integrating architecture, landscape and water
- Develop scalable modular systems
- Integrate innovative aquatic solutions through the NAO concept
- Create high-identity experiential destinations
Our approach is integrative:
architecture, environment, energy and experience form a single coherent system.
An invitation
CALDERA NAO is not just a project.
It is a model.
A model of regenerative hospitality,
where modularity meets the poetry of place,
and where water becomes the heart of the experience.
