REWE Überseequartier, Hamburg.
In doing so, the team immerses itself deeply in the client’s brand identity and strategic goals, developing tailor-made store concepts that harmonise design, function and economic efficiency. State-of-the-art VR technology and real-time visualisation allows the client to step into the space already during the planning phase. This way, different materials, furniture variants and future product presentation concepts can be tested and evaluated immediately. And there are even more merits to this approach. “Technology helps us to perfectly coordinate technical systems with design elements,” says Kinzel. Potential conflicts between for example building services, refrigeration, furniture 72
|
Issue 137
|
January 2026
construction and design are thus identified and resolved at an early stage – a decisive advantage for schedule and cost reliability. After completing her architecture studies in 1988 at the university in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Valentina Kinzel gained many years of formative experience in renowned offices for building construction, interior design and retail design, before founding her own company Kinzel Architecture in 2011 – followed by the shopfitting company Kinzel Project GmbH in 2016. Opening her own business allowed her to return to a more holistic approach, from the first design idea through to implementation. Kinzel Architecture’s clients appreciate the combination of innovative concepts with personal support and a close cooperation throughout the entire process.
MODERN HIGHLIGHT: REWE MARKET AT ÜBERSEEQUARTIER HAMBURG
Apart from new concepts, Kinzel Architecture also aims to reimagine existing spaces by implementing new technology. “In view of the increasing online competition, flexibility of retail concepts in conjunction with the integration of modern technology is becoming increasingly important,” Kinzel sums up. “Developing innovative solutions for brick-and-mortar stores therefore is becoming an increasingly important part of our projects.”
A REWE supermarket was built in Hamburg's new Westfield Überseequartier – ex-
kinzel-architecture.de
|
"We place the individual needs of our customers at the heart of our work," explains architect Valentina Kinzel. "Every shape, every material and every lighting concept arises from our design ambition to optimally showcase our customer's products – right up to a moment of wonder, a real WOW.”
ceptional in terms of both architecture and concept. The central design theme mirrors the atmosphere of Hamburg's Speicherstadt warehouse district, whose typical elements were interpreted in a modern way. The result is a distinctive market space that blends authentically into the city's identity. “Our aim was to create a place that goes far beyond the classic supermarket – a modern market hall, a culinary stage, and an architectural highlight within one of Europe's most ambitious urban development projects.”
TEXT: CORNELIA BRELOWSKI
Kinzel Architecture creates experiential retail spaces that strengthen brands, promote customer loyalty, and specifically support sales.
PHOTOS: KINZEL ARCHITECTURE
KINZEL ARCHITECTURE – REIMAGINING THE RETAIL EXPERIENCE