isern serra curates terracotta ‘origo’ café interiors for barcelona’s sant antoni neighborhood

the space is characterized by natural materials and handmade elements, creating a serene and honest atmosphere.

kat barandy November 21, 2024 4 min

Celebrating Simplicity and Craftsmanship in barcelona

Isern Serra has designed Origo, a new café in Barcelona, emphasizing simplicity, craftsmanship, and authenticity. Located in the vibrant Sant Antoni neighborhood, the café invites visitors to experience the artisanal process of bread-making in an immersive environment. Origo’s design highlights the craftsmanship and care behind every product it offers. The space is characterized by natural materials and handmade elements, creating a serene and honest atmosphere. A standout feature is a large sculptural bread display that serves as the heart of the space, showcasing freshly baked goods while offering a direct connection to the production process.

isern serra origo barcelona — images © Salva López

isern serra’s Tribute to Tradition

Founded in 2018 by François de Halleux, Origo was conceived in Barcelona as a return to the essence of bread-making, prioritizing traditional techniques and natural ingredients. The name ‘Origo,’ meaning ‘origin’ in Latin, reflects this mission to offer wholesome, nutritious bread made with stone-milled flours, sourdough starters, and extended fermentation processes.

The project by Isern Serra and led by Aran Escudero is divided into two main areas — the workshop and the public store. Interiors are curated to celebrate transparency and authenticity. Visitors can enter through two street-level entrances: one leading to the retail space and another offering views into the workshop. The café’s elongated layout posed a design challenge that Isern Serra transformed into an opportunity by incorporating a long, architectural bread display bar as the central element. Adjacent to this is a café counter made from dyed iroko wood with a stainless steel top, illuminated by six stainless steel Frama lamps.

origo: a café curated with Thoughtful Details

Earth tones dominate the café’s interior, with walls finished in manually applied ecoclay, adding texture and depth. At the rear, an agora-like space allows visitors to sample the products. This area features a high micro-cement bar with Frama stools and a large communal table overlooking the workshop through expansive windows. The design ensures that customers feel connected to the baking process, with bakers visible at work in a monochromatic terracotta-toned workshop outfitted with stainless steel ovens and mixers. Serax sconces and geometric concrete lights enhance the ambiance.

Origo’s terracotta theme extends to its exterior, where visitors encounter a small outdoor seating area featuring terracotta tile flooring, a matching bench, and textured walls. The warm, earthy palette ties the indoor and outdoor spaces together, creating a cohesive design language.