This sounds similar to Project Atomic[1]. The base OS is CentOS or Fedora, system files are managed by OSTree[2], and applications are run as Docker containers. You could probably also use something like Flatpak[3] for desktop apps, which is the approach used by Endless OS[4].
What I find interesting is these two projects are using a similar approach but targeting opposite ends of the spectrum. Atomic is intended as a cutting edge server OS for enterprises that want an integrated stack for running containerized infrastructure (they also started publicizing Atomic Workstation as of the last release, although I found it painful to use due to a lack of docs). Endless is targeting emerging markets, composed primarily of first-time computer users. OSTree+Flatpak allows the desktop to run similarly to a mobile OS, and there’s minimal chance of users breaking the system itself.
[1] https://www.projectatomic.io
[2] https://ostree.readthedocs.io
[3] https://flatpak.org
[4] https://endlessos.com/for-developers