How do you present merchandise more compellingly to shoppers? And how can they navigate a grocery store intuitively? These core questions drove Edeka Handelsgesellschaft Rhein-Ruhr to reimagine its 9,200 m² Marktkauf location in Gelsenkirchen. Kinzel Architecture from Schermbeck took on the challenge, placing customer experience at the heart of the redesign. The result: a refreshed market that reopened in spring 2021.

The first challenge was transforming the cavernous space into distinct, welcoming departments with better visibility and brighter atmosphere—while preserving the store's distinctive curved customer pathway and its signature color. Architect Valentina Kinzel achieved this through strategic highlight shelves for each product category, creating clear visual boundaries between departments. Each zone speaks for itself: carefully curated graphics and atmospheric lighting guide customers naturally through the space, while thoughtfully selected furnishings lend each section an almost boutique-like quality. The produce section at the entrance exemplifies the approach—a wooden roof stretches across its full width like a greenhouse, while vibrant green surfaces and hanging plants combine with white tiles to create a fresh, inviting mood. The seafood counter receives equally refined attention, with white rounded-edge tiles and floor-to-ceiling glass blocks as elegant dividers. Blue illuminated accent bars frame the display, their glow reflected in the mirrored ceiling—a striking detail that underscores the market's contemporary character.

Next to this freshness, a striking contrast emerges. Dark overhead structures and black slat details instantly signal a new department—dairy products. Their bright, clean aesthetic creates maximum visual contrast against the dark backdrop. Here too, hanging blue accent lights add a distinctive character and draw attention to the category.

www.kinzel-project.de

Photography Credits:

Guido Leifhelm
www.leifhelm-panorama.de

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 02|22)