With 2,300 sq.m, the newest EDEKA supermarket operated by the Honsel family is by far the largest of its kind in the area surrounding Dorsten on the northern edge of the Ruhr region in Germany.
The dimensions of the EDEKA store are one of the first things to impress customers. The sales premises are 80 metres long, 38 metres wide and almost 8 metres high, with a sales area of 2,300 sq.m. – free span with no additional columns. This means plenty of freedom in the layout and design of the supermarket, but also a special challenge for the lighting designers. Together with the specialists for food retailing from Shop Zwo in Düsseldorf and Ladenbau Upel, the owners developed an innovative, future-oriented store concept with the slogan “Eat your heart out” – with BÄRO as the lighting partner on board right from the start.
A warm welcome
Industrial design elements inside and outside continue the tradition of the site where the former Fürst Leopold mine was located. The materials and the surfaces are reminiscent of coal and steel and are defining features of the design concept. But if you expect an austere atmosphere inside, you’re in for a surprise: the fruit and vegetable department, designed as a bright and colourful marketplace, welcomes customers as soon as they enter the store. It invites them to slow down their pace and to linger. To illuminate the retail space of almost 220 m² the planners used a total of 63 BÄRO Ontero EC and Ontero RA directional spots with flood characteristic in the standard light colours 927 and 830.
In the adjoining fresh produce section illuminated refrigerated units define the look of the interior. Supported by the homogenous illumination of high-level decorations and signs, visitors are guided to the impressive counter with freshly prepared sushi, fresh fish, meat, cold cuts, cheese and bread. Thanks to the combination of uniform illumination of the rear wall and spectrally matched illumination of the products, the planners have succeeded in creating a high-quality impression for both the premises and the product assortment.
Freshness made visible
The deli counter has a total length of around 30 metres. Special light colours from BÄRO ensure that the different product groups are optimally presented. For example, the red colour of meat must shine, but the white of the strip of fat or marbling must still appear white. At the same time the products must be preserved so that they do not discolour – and this succeeds with the special light colour SpecialMeat. However, nowhere is freshness more clearly perceived than with fish. This is why the cool light of the special light colour Fish&Seafood with a slightly higher lighting level is used above the fish counter. Intara RD series recessed luminaires with flood reflector in two rows offset in front of and above the serving counter are used to illuminate the products. Luminaires of the same series but with a WallBeam characteristic in the standard light colour 830 are used for vertical illumination of the rear wall.
Floating panels for basic lighting
Looking from the fresh produce section to the salesroom, it is noticeable that despite the very high ceilings, the product shelves have been kept relatively low and the ceiling area with its technical installations has a dark colour. This creates clarity and gives centre stage to the products presented. BÄRO suspended luminaires from the Pendiro TX series provide efficient, homogeneous general lighting for the area – the flat LED panels appear light and almost seem to float.
In the layout of the supermarket straight elements such as wall panels and room dividers are frequently broken up by round, curved fixtures to provide visual relief. Directed, accentuated light enhances the dynamic impression, for example on the gondola heads or in the wine department. Ontero XR spotlights are also used. On the other hand, the light-flooded vertical surfaces of the walls that are visible from afar create a feeling of spaciousness, structure the space and provide orientation.
Shopping experience for all the senses
The lighting concept for EDEKA Honsel supermarket shows that it is the selective use of sophisticated lighting technology and nuanced high-quality light planning that turns contemporary retail architecture into an experience for all the senses. BÄRO products – from recessed and track-mounted wallwashers, directional spotlights with LED hybrid technology and technical suspended luminaires with lens optics to decorative industrial-look suspended luminaires – make a decisive contribution to the attractiveness and feel-good atmosphere of the supermarket.
