Origen Restaurant: when architecture tells a shared story of essence

In every great project there's a first gesture, a spark, a space where everything begins. At Larimar City, that place is called Origen.

A restaurant with pool and jacuzzi, yes — but also an emotional meeting point, a tribute to the project's roots, and an invitation to reconnect with what's essential.

Origen is born of memory and emotion. Of that first improvised space facing the cliff, where we gathered to dream, to welcome those who would later fall in love with this city, to share a coffee while the first ideas were being born. That simple palapa was our first home at Larimar, and from there, everything took meaning. Designing Origen was almost inevitable: it was a necessary tribute to the roots of this community that has emerged from scratch. Today the architecture team gives us the keys to Origen in this simple but profound interview.

How Origen happened...

What was the main inspiration behind Origen's design?

We designed Origen from a deeply emotional place. Its inspiration is born of that first collective gesture — of a palapa in front of a viewpoint where we observed the entire Caribbean coastline, and that brought us together when everything was just an idea.

We wanted this space to speak of what united us from the start: simplicity, connection with nature, and the beauty that emerges when a place is capable of inspiring community.

How is the idea of "origin" reflected in the restaurant's architectural elements?

Everything in Origen is designed to seem as if it has always been there. We used local coral stone, cana (thatch) roofs, structures that open and close as the landscape dictates. The architecture steps back a little to let the surroundings speak, to frame them without dominating them.

From the curved terraces to the infinity pool among the trees, every line, every texture, takes us back to what's essential: that which connects us with the earth, with the water, with life.

Is there a distinctive architectural element you consider the heart of the project?

Without a doubt: the infinity pool facing the cliff. It emerged from a walk by the team (Juan Andrés, Nicolas, and Arisleidy) through the terrain, when we observed a natural slope and saw it clearly: there had to emerge a hidden pool, of free form, like an extension of the cliff itself.

We also remember that moment when Juan Andrés, sitting on the original palapa, pointed to the hillside and said: "There will be high terraces to enjoy the restaurant… and next to them, a pool." Today, that visionary gesture is a tangible reality that moves us.

How was sustainability taken into account in Origen's design?

Sustainability was part of the design from the first sketch.

We reused coral stone from the same site, avoided aggressive cuts in the topography, and kept the native vegetation whenever possible. The space's orientation takes advantage of cross ventilation and natural shade, reducing energy consumption and respecting the surroundings.

We designed Origen with the conviction that building in harmony is possible — and necessary.

What was the biggest architectural challenge during the development of Origen?

The greatest challenge was integrating a contemporary architectural proposal without breaking with the natural force of the place. The terrain spoke to us: its slopes, its vegetation, its history.

More than designing on top of the landscape, we decided to design with it.

It was a demanding technical process, but deeply gratifying. The most valuable thing was discovering that the answer was already there — we only had to listen.

What does Origen represent for you, and what do you hope it will become over time?

For us, Origen isn't just a restaurant. It's emotion made architecture.

It's the symbol of the first steps at Larimar, the physical reflection of a collective memory. Its soul was born long before the design: it was born in a simple palapa facing the cliff, where we gathered to share ideas, to dream about what Larimar could become.

We especially remember the Christmas party of 2024. Origen didn't yet exist as such, but we were all there, with the sea breeze caressing the night and the city lights in the background. We felt — without needing to say it — that this place had something special. That it deserved to be much more. And so it was.

Today Origen is that: a connection between idea and life, between the natural and the human, between what we were and what we want to be. It's a space that emotionally anchors the Larimar experience, that invites stopping, contemplating, and sharing.

We hope that with time it will become a meeting point full of life. A setting for celebrations, sunset talks, family gatherings, new ideas…

And above all, that it never stops moving people. That those who visit for the first time take away not just a beautiful image, but a deep feeling. Because if anything defines Origen, it's its ability to connect with the authentic.

What would you like people to remember after their first visit?

That they felt something.

That it wasn't just a meal, a view, or a pool — but a real connection with the place.

That they remembered how important it is to return to what's essential, to what's authentic.

Because if anything defines Origen, it's that it doesn't seek to impress — it seeks to move.

Thanks to the Larimar City Architecture team for sharing not only the creative process, but also the deep emotion that gave shape to Origen.

This amenity, the first to become a reality, isn't just a built space: it's the most authentic expression of how it all began.

A work that reminds us that every city, like every story, has a place where everything begins. And here, that place is called Origen.

By the Architecture Department

Arisleidy Herrera Mercedes

Architect