Médiathèque Troisième Lieu à Thionville

AIT – Architektur – Innenarchitektur – Technischer Ausbau Issue 09 | 2018 4 194561 713502

Editorial

Dear Readers,

Shopping is one of the favourite pastimes of the Germans – according to a study by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which conducted an analysis of the Stuttgart region in August. According to the study, 21 billion euros flow into the retail sector every year – that is, with an average of 7,569 euros per inhabitant, slightly more than the national average of 6,924 euros. Retailers should be pleased about this, one might think, but they are already concerned about the sales of 3.7 billion euros that the regional online and mail order trade has recorded. Pure figures, the fruit farmer from Lake Constance would mumble, shrugging his shoulders, where the hot summer ensures perfectly filled shelves (picture at the top) at the roadside. Thankfully, they still exist – the small sales stands, which can offer with the smallest means what the secret of success and unique selling point of the retail trade is: customer-oriented supply, authenticity and a shopping experience for all senses. Applied to the large scale, this recipe works at best also for supermarkets that – especially in Germany – have successfully broken away from the “cheap is cool” principle. The supermarket in the Zeisehalle in Hamburg (p. 120) is a particularly successful example of this. And how a small Greek family business has developed into a supermarket of superlatives in more than 140 years and four generations with persistent quality awareness and a good feeling for customer preferences is shown from page 112 onwards. With the article by Thomas Frey “Shopfitting 4.0” (p. 138) we dare to take a look into the future and ask “What influence does increasing digitalization have on shopfitting?” The cover of our current magazine is adorned with a photographic artwork by our former AIT intern Laura Zalenga, whom we interviewed for the Change of Perspective section (p. 48). We found that the motif makes a particularly successful reference to the topic of “presentation” and refers with a wink to our product focus on wallpapers and wall paints (p. 76). Or would you have preferred one from the design-conscious truck drivers (p. 8, 32, 58)?

Best wishes Petra Stephan, Dipl.-Ing. Chief Editor Architect