re:markt
Presented at Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection — following the HfG exhibition, 2025
95% of German supermarkets can only operate 2–4 hours during a blackout. Only 5% have backup generators.
re:markt is a supermarket concept with two operating modes: normal retail and controlled crisis distribution. When conditions degrade, the store switches — floor space converts to storage, communication shifts from promotion to orientation, and a token-based system replaces "first come, first served" with fair, enforceable allocation.
The design challenge was not visual. It was operational: how do you build a system that stays legible under stress — for staff, customers, and logistics partners — when the usual infrastructure is gone.
My role
Product design research synthesis interaction and UI prototyping
Scope
Research -> prototype System concept
Domain
Critical infrastructure Resilient systems Service operations Public communication
Tools
Figma Runway (tons of AI tools)
Team
Luke Caporelli Peter Schneider Finn Sommerhoff Annika Weber
Year
2025
context
System reality
Supermarkets are essential infrastructure but not built for failure conditions. Power loss, supply disruption, or panic quickly break operations. Any solution must work under limited energy, high demand, and the need for clear public communication.
Breakdown point
The system is optimized for efficiency in stable conditions, not resilience. There are no predefined crisis modes, no standardized distribution logic, and no clear rules for fair access leading to chaos and overload under stress.
Why it fails
Isolated fixes like generators don’t address systemic fragility. Without integrated logistics, defined roles, and simple public rules, operations rely on improvisation which leads to delays, confusion, and loss of trust.
Why this matters
89%
of households rely on supermarkets as their primary supply source.
95%
of supermarkets can only operate 2 to 4 hours during a blackout.
Research signals
Only 5%
of supermarkets in Germany have backup generators.
Discover
Where the current system breaks
We analyzed failure cascades across energy, cold chain, logistics, and human behavior. The research direction was clear: resilience is not improvisation, it is pre defined operations that stay legible when infrastructure becomes unstable.
define
Design requirements for a crisis ready store
The concept had to achieve three goals at once: keep essentials running with limited energy, prevent chaos through clear issuance rules, and stay compatible with existing standards so the system can scale.
Non negotiables
Fair distribution must be explainable
Rations per household need to be public, simple, and enforceable.
design principle
Infrastructure branding
The visual system is designed as orientation and trust, not marketing.
ideate
Two mode operations
re:markt introduces a prepared switch from normal retail to controlled issuance. When conditions degrade, floor space converts from shopping to storage and distribution, while communication shifts from promotion to orientation.
End-to-end distribution flow
Farmer
Warehouse
Click and Collect
Customer
Production
Delivery
Government
reserves
Parcel lockers
Pop Up
re:markt
prototype
Core mechanisms we prototyped
We focused on three mechanisms: standardized box logistics from producer to household, token based issuance using QR or NFC, and a zoning model that controls entry, waiting, handoff, and exit to protect staff operations.
Control mechanisms
Staff as critical infrastructure
Fixed roles, low tech fallbacks, and recurring drills keep the system functional under stress.
multi channel distribution system
re:markt Hub
Central distribution, storage, and sales. Operates as a supermarket while coordinating local supply.
Click & Collect
Pre-ordered re:boxes are picked up directly at the market. Fast handoff without a traditional shopping process.
Delivery
Flexible delivery via mobile delivery vehicles. Direct supply for people with limited mobility or during high demand.
Pop-Up Store
Temporary sales and distribution station based on a vehicle. Supplies areas without a stationary market.
DHL Station
re:boxes are distributed via existing parcel lockers (Packstations). Extends reach without new infrastructure.
re:boxes are distributed via existing parcel lockers (Packstations). Extends reach without new infrastructure.
deliver
Distribution ecosystem
The hub is the operational anchor, but essentials route through pickup points, mobile delivery, pop-ups, and parcel stations — keeping queues short and access inclusive without new infrastructure.
re:box logistics
A standardized re:box unit stays consistent from production to household — simplifying handling, improving predictability, and reducing failure points across handoffs.
Issuance flow and control
To replace “first come, first served,” re:markt uses a controlled issuance flow. Households receive a QR or NFC token and a time window for pickup, enabling orderly distribution even with limited digital infrastructure. Store zoning separates entry, waiting, handoff, and exit to protect operations and reduce conflict. The result is a system that stays enforceable under stress, not just well intentioned.
modular innenarchitecture
Normal mode
Crisis mode
Community area expands
Sales floor shrinks
Storage expands
Impact
Expected stability under disruption
Clear rules reduce conflict. Energy prioritization keeps critical systems running. Standardized logistics removes fragile handoffs. All impact framed as expected, not measured.
Expected behavioral and societal effects
Clear rules and predictable access reduce panic dynamics. When people understand what they can get and when, behavior shifts from hoarding to planning. This stabilizes crowds, protects staff, and strengthens trust in local supply systems.
modular innenarchitecture
Up to 80%
energy demand reduction
4,000 → 800 kWh
Energy stepped down while staying operational
Key takeaway
Rule clarity is UX
In crises, the interface isn't the screen — it's the rules behind it. re:markt reframed UX as operational governance: clear modes, minimal constraints, communication that holds under stress
reflection
What this changed for me
I learned that in crisis contexts, public UX is rule clarity and expectation management, while internal UX is operational governance. The concept film work also showed how AI can compress complexity into an exhibition ready narrative when story and system logic are authored deliberately.
Recognition
"The projects arrived at extremely compelling, practically relevant results. The works have given us valuable impulses and opened fresh perspectives for our thinking and action with regard to strengthening societal resilience."
— Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection
re:markt
Presented at Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection — following the HfG exhibition, 2025
95% of German supermarkets can only operate 2–4 hours during a blackout. Only 5% have backup generators.
re:markt is a supermarket concept with two operating modes: normal retail and controlled crisis distribution. When conditions degrade, the store switches — floor space converts to storage, communication shifts from promotion to orientation, and a token-based system replaces "first come, first served" with fair, enforceable allocation.
The design challenge was not visual. It was operational: how do you build a system that stays legible under stress — for staff, customers, and logistics partners — when the usual infrastructure is gone.
Why this matters
89%
of households rely on supermarkets as their primary supply source.
95%
of supermarkets can only operate 2 to 4 hours during a blackout.
Discover
Where the current system breaks
We analyzed failure cascades across energy, cold chain, logistics, and human behavior. The research direction was clear: resilience is not improvisation, it is pre defined operations that stay legible when infrastructure becomes unstable.
Discover
Where the current system breaks
We analyzed failure cascades across energy, cold chain, logistics, and human behavior. The research direction was clear: resilience is not improvisation, it is pre defined operations that stay legible when infrastructure becomes unstable.
Research signals
Only 5%
of supermarkets in Germany have backup generators.
define
Design requirements for a crisis ready store
The concept had to achieve three goals at once: keep essentials running with limited energy, prevent chaos through clear issuance rules, and stay compatible with existing standards so the system can scale.
Non negotiables
Fair distribution must be explainable
Rations per household need to be public, simple, and enforceable.
ideate
Two mode operations
re:markt introduces a prepared switch from normal retail to controlled issuance. When conditions degrade, floor space converts from shopping to storage and distribution, while communication shifts from promotion to orientation.
design principle
Infrastructure branding
The visual system is designed as orientation and trust, not marketing.
prototype
Core mechanisms we prototyped
We focused on three mechanisms: standardized box logistics from producer to household, token based issuance using QR or NFC, and a zoning model that controls entry, waiting, handoff, and exit to protect staff operations.
End-to-end distribution flow
deliver
Distribution ecosystem
The hub is the operational anchor, but essentials route through pickup points, mobile delivery, pop-ups, and parcel stations — keeping queues short and access inclusive without new infrastructure.
re:box logistics
A standardized re:box unit stays consistent from production to household — simplifying handling, improving predictability, and reducing failure points across handoffs.
Issuance flow and control
To replace “first come, first served,” re:markt uses a controlled issuance flow. Households receive a QR or NFC token and a time window for pickup, enabling orderly distribution even with limited digital infrastructure. Store zoning separates entry, waiting, handoff, and exit to protect operations and reduce conflict. The result is a system that stays enforceable under stress, not just well intentioned.
Research signals
modular innenarchitecture
impact
Expected stability under disruption
Clear rules reduce conflict. Energy prioritization keeps critical systems running. Standardized logistics removes fragile handoffs. All impact framed as expected, not measured.
Expected behavioral and societal effects
Clear rules and predictable access reduce panic dynamics. When people understand what they can get and when, behavior shifts from hoarding to planning. This stabilizes crowds, protects staff, and strengthens trust in local supply systems.
modular innenarchitecture
Up to 80%
energy demand reduction
reflection
What this changed for me
I learned that in crisis contexts, public UX is rule clarity and expectation management, while internal UX is operational governance. The concept film work also showed how AI can compress complexity into an exhibition ready narrative when story and system logic are authored deliberately.
Key takeaway
Rule clarity is UX
In crises, the interface isn't the screen — it's the rules behind it. re:markt reframed UX as operational governance: clear modes, minimal constraints, communication that holds under stress
context
System reality
Supermarkets are essential infrastructure but not built for failure conditions. Power loss, supply disruption, or panic quickly break operations. Any solution must work under limited energy, high demand, and the need for clear public communication.
Breakdown point
The system is optimized for efficiency in stable conditions, not resilience. There are no predefined crisis modes, no standardized distribution logic, and no clear rules for fair access leading to chaos and overload under stress.
Why it fails
Isolated fixes like generators don’t address systemic fragility. Without integrated logistics, defined roles, and simple public rules, operations rely on improvisation which leads to delays, confusion, and loss of trust.