COSTA VIVA: A Living Spatial Framework Rooted in Nature, Water, and Collective Well-Being

In recent years, particularly following the global pandemic, architectural discourse has increasingly shifted toward themes of well-being, nature integration, and alternative modes of living that prioritize mental and physical health. The CASTA VIVA project emerges from this context as a holiday resort proposal that reinterprets Mediterranean coastal living through a contemporary architectural lens. Situated along the Spanish coastline, the project seeks to re-establish a deep, sensory connection between users and nature, offering an environment that encourages slowing down, breathing, and healing.

The Mediterranean coast of Spain provides not only a physical setting but also a cultural and climatic framework that strongly informs the project. The region’s identity—defined by openness, outdoor living, water-oriented lifestyles, and a strong relationship between architecture and landscape—serves as a foundation for the spatial organization. Rather than treating the site as a backdrop, CASTA VIVA is conceived as an extension of its natural surroundings, where architecture, water, greenery, and the human body coexist in a continuous dialogue.

At the core of the project lies the idea of architecture as a “living organism.” The name CASTA VIVA reflects this intention: a living, breathing spatial soul that evolves alongside its users. This concept translates into a design approach that avoids rigid boundaries and instead promotes permeability, adaptability, and gradual transitions between spaces. The resort is not designed as a closed, introverted complex, but as an open system that allows nature to flow through it—visually, spatially, and experientially.

Water plays a central role in shaping the project’s spatial identity. Pools, water surfaces, and reflective elements are not merely recreational features but key components of the architectural narrative. They guide movement, define thresholds, and create moments of pause within the daily rhythm of the resort. Alongside water, greenery acts as a connective tissue between built and open spaces. Courtyards, landscaped voids, and planted terraces introduce microclimates that soften the architectural mass while enhancing sensory experience through shade, texture, and sound.

The spatial organization is structured around semi-open living spaces that respond to changing post-pandemic living habits. During periods of isolation, the need for access to fresh air, outdoor environments, and flexible communal spaces became evident. In response, CASTA VIVA prioritizes semi-open areas such as terraces, courtyards, and wooden walkways that blur the distinction between interior and exterior. These spaces encourage informal encounters, individual retreat, and collective use, allowing users to choose how and when to engage with others.

The massing strategy is directly informed by the project’s relationship with the sea. The primary building masses are oriented toward the coastline in a curved configuration, maximizing visual connections and reinforcing the spatial awareness of the horizon. This curvature not only enhances panoramic sea views but also creates a dynamic architectural expression that echoes the fluidity of water and coastal landscapes. Rather than forming a single, monolithic volume, the mass is intentionally fragmented along a central axis. This fragmentation reduces the perceived scale of the building while increasing permeability and spatial continuity across the site.

As the design process evolved, the fragmented masses were further subdivided to generate semi-open shared spaces embedded within the overall structure. These spaces act as intermediate zones—neither fully open nor fully enclosed—supporting user interaction and facilitating gradual transitions between private and communal areas. This layered spatial hierarchy reflects the project’s emphasis on choice, comfort, and psychological well-being.

One of the most significant spatial elements is the central void created by carving out the primary volume along its main axis. This void functions as a communal living space where open, semi-open, and landscaped areas intersect. It accommodates pool connectivity, vertical circulation elements, and shared outdoor platforms, transforming circulation into an experiential journey rather than a purely functional route. As a threshold between the two residential units, the central void becomes a social condenser, fostering encounters and collective use while maintaining visual and spatial openness.

Wellness-oriented functions such as yoga spaces, spa facilities, and social gathering areas are strategically placed within this spatial framework. These functions are not isolated but integrated into the daily flow of the resort, reinforcing the idea that well-being is not an activity confined to specific rooms but a continuous experience shaped by movement, light, sound, and atmosphere. Wooden walkways guide users gently through the complex, offering tactile warmth and reinforcing the connection to natural materials commonly associated with Mediterranean architecture.