re:markt
re:markt designs a supermarket that works in everyday life and switches into a prepared crisis mode when power or supply chains fail. The concept combines energy resilience, standardized logistics, and transparent allocation rules to keep basic supply stable under stress.
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
Settings and stakes
Care organizations depend on fast, precise communication across shifts and teams. The partner context required privacy, cultural sensitivity, and adoption from day one.
Core problem
International trainees often have formal language certificates but still struggle with everyday routines, small talk, and real workplace phrasing. This creates repeated explanations, time loss, and avoidable misunderstandings.
Why the usual fixes fail
Courses and one off trainings rarely translate into reliable performance under daily work pressure. Without continuous, in context support, the gap stays.
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.
Research signals
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
re:markt delivers a multi channel distribution system that reduces pressure on a single store. The hub remains the operational anchor, but essentials can be routed through pickup points, mobile delivery, pop up distribution, and parcel station handoff using existing infrastructure. Each channel is designed to keep queues short, throughput stable, and access inclusive.
re:box logistics
At the center is a standardized “re:box” unit that stays consistent from production to household. The box format simplifies handling, improves predictability in loading and storage, and makes distribution legible for staff and recipients. By keeping the unit stable across handoffs, the system reduces failure points that typically appear when packaging changes between stages.
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
The expected impact is predictability. Clear rules reduce conflict, energy prioritization keeps critical systems running, and standardized logistics reduces dependency on fragile handoffs. This is an expected impact framing, not measured outcomes.
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
Card text: 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, and communication people can follow 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.
re:markt
re:markt designs a supermarket that works in everyday life and switches into a prepared crisis mode when power or supply chains fail. The concept combines energy resilience, standardized logistics, and transparent allocation rules to keep basic supply stable under stress.
context
Settings and stakes
Care organizations depend on fast, precise communication across shifts and teams. The partner context required privacy, cultural sensitivity, and adoption from day one.
Core problem
International trainees often have formal language certificates but still struggle with everyday routines, small talk, and real workplace phrasing. This creates repeated explanations, time loss, and avoidable misunderstandings.
Why the usual fixes fail
Courses and one off trainings rarely translate into reliable performance under daily work pressure. Without continuous, in context support, the gap stays.
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
re:markt delivers a multi channel distribution system that reduces pressure on a single store. The hub remains the operational anchor, but essentials can be routed through pickup points, mobile delivery, pop up distribution, and parcel station handoff using existing infrastructure. Each channel is designed to keep queues short, throughput stable, and access inclusive.
re:box logistics
At the center is a standardized “re:box” unit that stays consistent from production to household. The box format simplifies handling, improves predictability in loading and storage, and makes distribution legible for staff and recipients. By keeping the unit stable across handoffs, the system reduces failure points that typically appear when packaging changes between stages.
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
The expected impact is predictability. Clear rules reduce conflict, energy prioritization keeps critical systems running, and standardized logistics reduces dependency on fragile handoffs. This is an expected impact framing, not measured outcomes.
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
Card text: 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, and communication people can follow under stress.