The Online Shop Launch — A Seed Planted

Introducing Jagua Cabin and Arquídea’s Tropical Cabin Plans

I launched the Arquídea store with just one model: Jagua Cabin — a small tropical cabin designed to adapt to place, climate, and the way you live.

It wasn’t a perfect launch.
It was a real one.

I’ve been a one-woman band, doing everything myself — architectural design, organizing drawings, building the website, creating bilingual content, setting up WordPress, WooCommerce, payments, product structure, and documentation.

There were many moments outside my comfort zone.
But the intention was simple: plant a seed.

Tropical Architecture, Made Accessible

The idea behind the Arquídea shop is to offer thoughtful tropical cabin plans that can be adapted to different locations and lifestyles.

These are not generic templates.
They are conceptual architectural designs created specifically for tropical and subtropical climates, using passive design strategies like:

• cross ventilation
• deep roof overhangs
• shaded outdoor living
• compact footprints
• climate-responsive layouts
• simple construction systems

Each model is designed to work as:

• a tropical cabin
• small house
• guest house
• vacation rental
• retreat space
• minimalist home

Jagua Cabin is the first step — a compact tropical design developed with care, intention, and experience working in rural Panama.

A Seed Planted During Slower Times

This project started forming quietly during lockdown, which was a very transformative time here.

I spent those months reconnecting with the landscape — learning tree and plant names, making herbal teas from scratch, preparing banana flower vinegar, baking sourdough bread, and helping build Casa Melina.

That slower rhythm changed the way I see architecture.

Less as an object.
More as something that grows from place, climate, and daily life.

That’s when the idea for these models began to take shape.

A One-Woman Band — With Support

While I’ve been doing most of this myself, I haven’t been completely alone.

My friend Melissa — who has a strong marketing mind — helped me brainstorm and shape the early ideas. She and her husband run their beautiful Amazilia farm, where they produce handmade soaps using milk from their goats.

I’m excited about the possibility of her joining this project in the future. Her sensitivity and vision align naturally with what Arquídea is becoming.

Launching Before Perfect

I waited a long time before launching.
It always felt like something else needed to be finished first.

But at some point I realized: projects don’t start when they’re perfect.
They start when you plant them.

Today the store has one model.
But it represents a direction.

A slower architecture.
A more accessible one.
Rooted in tropical living.
Designed to grow over time.

The First Seed: Jagua Cabin

Jagua Cabin is more than a small tropical cabin plan.
It’s the first seed of a growing collection of tropical architectural designs.

More models will come.
Slowly.
Carefully.
With intention.

Today, the seed is planted.