Client

tegut...

Project

teo

Description

teo is an autonomous, digital local supplier concept that enables spontaneous, local shopping around the clock – compact, flexible, and human at the same time.

95 %

of the building structure is made of wood

500+

Location inquiries from municipalities

Retail Design

|

Architecture

Front view of tegut... teo in Rasdorf with customers – a sustainable micro-store concept designed by Design for Human Nature in Hamburg.

An inside view of tegut… teo featuring a large self-checkout counter in the foreground and a curved, wooden interior with well-stocked shelves in the background.

Night view of the first tegut… teo in Fulda, warmly lit and with a queue of customers waiting at the entrance.

View of the green roof of the tegut… teo in Fulda, adorned with various plant species, nestled among the city's historic buildings.

How can retail create genuine closeness even without traditional stores?

People today shop more spontaneously and closer to their daily lives. Traditional retail concepts are struggling to reach these new living spaces—there is a lack of flexible formats that can be easily integrated into cities, villages, or neighborhoods.

Rendering of the tegut... teo from a gentle perspective – visualization of the modular neighborhood market by Design for Human Nature.

Models from teo in various perspectives.

Solution

For teo we collaborated with tegut... to develop a standalone, autonomous building that requires no deep foundations or staff, yet still conveys human warmth. This concept brings supplies to previously underserved areas, increases cost-effectiveness, and creates genuine customer proximity—becoming a natural part of everyday life.

„Placing people first - this project humanizes technology with a highly functional solution that answers  many problems for the future.“

Rosie Morley

Jury Member Frame Award

Go to Source

Our strength lies in designing retail architectures that fit naturally into everyday life – from brand logic to interface. With over 30 years of experience, we connect technology, brands, and people to create places that feel like they have always been there.

Detailed views of the social plug-ins at tegut... teo for the neighborhood, designed by Design for Human Nature in Hamburg.

Autonomous small formats and modular sales points are increasingly becoming a future trend in retail – whether in the food, mobility, or service sectors. Thus, teo has now become independent from its parent brand, tegut....

(Photo credits: Ben Pakalski for teo/Smart Retail Solutions, Constantin Meyer for BÄRO)