How do you turn a compact 70-square-meter grocery store into a memorable retail environment without sacrificing product capacity or customer circulation? This new supermarket design concept in Tabriz by architect Nafiseh Gavidel explores a practical answer: a carefully organized 7 × 10 m floor plan, a 4 m ceiling, refined white-and-navy neoclassical detailing, dedicated dry-goods merchandising, and realistic layered lighting.
Rather than treating the interior as a decorative showroom, the concept approaches a supermarket as a working commercial environment. Every visible design decision—from the position of the checkout to the refrigeration wall—has to support shopping, cleaning, stocking and staff operations. This is a conceptual design and visualization, not a claim that construction has been completed.
Project at a Glance
- Project: New supermarket design in Tabriz, Iran
- Space: Neighborhood supermarket / grocery retail
- Area: 70 m²
- Plan dimensions: 7 m storefront width × 10 m depth
- Ceiling height: 4 m
- Design language: Restrained neoclassical commercial interior
- Palette: Warm white, deep navy blue and fine brass accents
- Key functions: Dedicated dry-goods booth, merchandise gondolas, perimeter shelving, refrigerated cases, side-wall checkout and a full-glass shopfront
- Concept by: Gavidel Architecture — Architect Nafiseh Gavidel
- Status: Design concept; final technical coordination and construction documentation pending
The Spatial Challenge and Gavidel’s Design Response
A small supermarket presents a deceptively complex architectural problem. The shop must display a broad selection of everyday products, keep promotional items visible, allow customers to pass one another, accommodate refrigerated equipment and provide an efficient point of sale. If shelving consumes every open area, shoppers lose visual orientation. If too much floor is left empty, the commercial capacity suffers.
The design organizes the rectangle into a clear sequence: a transparent entrance, central retail aisles with compact double-sided gondolas, an individually articulated dry-goods section, refrigerated displays toward the far end, and a checkout counter positioned against the perimeter wall near the exit. This creates a recognizable customer journey while preserving useful floor area.
One particularly important decision is to place the checkout along a side wall with fixed merchandise shelving directly behind the cashier. The checkout is not a freestanding barrier across the main shopping aisle. The center of the store remains available for customer circulation and product selection.
1. A Distinct Dry-Goods Booth
Rice, beans, lentils, grains, nuts and other dry goods are presented in a dedicated zone toward the rear-left portion of the concept. A navy-blue neoclassical arch provides a recognizable spatial identity without the visual weight of a solid partition. Transparent containers and orderly labels allow customers to understand the merchandise quickly.
For real construction, the booth would require a detailed operational review. Appropriate storage, cleanable counters, staff access, dust management, humidity control, sanitation and food-safe handling are essential. Display vessels should be selected according to the products and the intended sales process, not merely for their visual appearance.
2. Supermarket Shelving and Product Visibility
Full-height perimeter units use navy frames, lighter backgrounds and integrated shelf lighting. This helps colorful packaging remain the visual focus while giving the store a consistent architectural rhythm. Shorter central gondolas create two-sided merchandising opportunities without turning the interior into a maze.
Prior to fabrication, the proposed merchandising plan must be matched to actual SKU dimensions, product families and stock levels. Cereals, snacks, household goods, beverages and bulk items have different shelf-depth and load requirements. Accurate aisle clearances and end-cap conditions must be checked using the surveyed dimensions and applicable local requirements.
3. Checkout Counter and the Wall Behind It
The navy checkout counter uses fine neoclassical panels, restrained brass lines and a pale stone-look working surface. It is positioned close to the entrance so payment naturally follows the shopping route. Its visual identity is strong, but the volume remains simple enough to manufacture and maintain.
Crucially, the cashier faces the customer circulation zone while the immediate background is a shelving wall, not the main retail floor. This wall can hold small packaged goods and frequently purchased items. The working side requires further design for a POS terminal, payment device, scanner, cash storage, bags, cables, staff movement and customer waiting space.
4. Refrigeration and Cold-Product Displays
Glass-door refrigerated cases are grouped toward the far end of the supermarket. Their dark frames coordinate with the navy retail shelving, while vertical case lighting makes beverages and dairy products easy to identify. Grouping refrigeration can simplify the visual organization and encourage customers to travel through the full shop.
Equipment procurement must account for electrical loads, condenser heat, ventilation, maintenance access and any condensate drainage. Decorative millwork must never compromise a refrigerator manufacturer’s ventilation or servicing requirements.
5. An Inviting Full-Glass Storefront
The 7 m-wide front elevation is conceived as a transparent glass shopfront with slim dark framing. Natural light enters the sales floor, and passersby can recognize the store’s palette, display quality and layout before stepping inside. The storefront becomes an active part of the customer experience, not simply a boundary between street and interior.
Actual glass specifications, safe door clearances, solar gain, glare control, accessible entry and signage installation need to be resolved against the building’s conditions and local rules. A transparent shopfront delivers the best result when the merchandising immediately behind it remains uncluttered.
6. White and Navy Neoclassical Retail Design
Warm white makes the compact interior feel clear and fresh. Deep navy provides a distinctive frame around merchandise and gives the checkout a premium identity. Fine metallic lines add definition in selected locations; they do not dominate the environment.
The neoclassical references remain deliberately restrained. Slim pilasters, proportional wall panels, a feature arch and carefully coordinated cornices suggest an elegant architectural language without consuming the valuable space needed for retail. In a 70 m² supermarket, proportion and circulation matter much more than heavy ornament.
7. Cinematic Atmosphere with Practical Retail Lighting
The lighting concept has three layers: comfortable general illumination, targeted emphasis for merchandise and concealed LED strips integrated within shelving and architectural features. Daylight from the glass storefront adds depth and warmth. Together they create the photographic, cinematic atmosphere visible in the renders.
However, a render is not a lighting calculation. Illuminance targets, glare, color rendering, circuiting, maintenance access and energy consumption must be established during technical development. Food and packaging colors should appear natural, and shoppers should be able to read labels without distracting reflections.
8. Hanging Greenery with a Maintenance Strategy
Cascading greenery softens the navy-and-white palette and introduces natural color above the merchandise lines. The plants are located primarily at upper shelving zones and selected ceiling points so they do not obstruct the walking routes or shopping activity.
In a food-retail environment, planting must be planned with hygiene in mind. Irrigation, secure suspension, leaf shedding, cleaning access and separation from electrical equipment should be considered before deciding between live plants and suitable artificial alternatives.
Suggested Materials and Technical Priorities
- Floor: Light-colored commercial porcelain tiles with suitable cleaning and slip-performance characteristics.
- Display units: Durable load-rated shelving with washable finishes and accessible maintenance details.
- Counter: Navy panelled front with a hard-wearing, stain-resistant pale worktop.
- Architectural moldings: Lightweight, restrained elements coordinated with the 4 m ceiling.
- Lighting: Serviceable and energy-conscious fittings on appropriately divided circuits.
- Building services: Refrigeration power, ventilation, POS/data connections, and locally compliant fire-safety provisions.
A credible refurbishment budget cannot be quoted from renders alone. The condition of the existing premises, shelving specifications, refrigeration brands, mechanical/electrical works, finishing quality and installation location all affect the scope and final cost.
Design Visualization Gallery
The visual series for this project includes: the primary view from the glass entrance, a close view of the checkout with shelving immediately behind it, a second checkout perspective, a view from the refrigerator area toward the entrance, and a bird’s-eye cutaway showing the principal zones. Individual render images should be uploaded to the WordPress media library and inserted here with accurate descriptive alt text before publication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is neoclassical design suitable for a small supermarket?
Yes—when decorative elements are scaled carefully and do not interfere with storage, access or the customer journey. Simple, well-proportioned details usually work better than elaborate architectural ornament in a compact shop.
Can a 70 m² store include a separate dry-goods section?
It can be feasible with visual zoning, dedicated display fixtures and an appropriate service arrangement. The final booth size should be calculated around product volume and staff operations.
What information is needed to start a store design?
Accurate dimensions, photos and video of the existing premises, locations of doors and columns, utility connections, major product categories, expected refrigeration units and an approximate investment range are a strong starting point.
Are detailed construction drawings included?
The deliverables depend on the agreed scope. A project may progress from a spatial concept and 3D visualization to coordinated shelving details, lighting plans and construction documentation after technical review.
Commercial Interior Design in Tabriz and Beyond
Gavidel Architecture, led by architect Nafiseh Gavidel, approaches commercial design by first understanding how a business operates. What products will be sold? Where will customers walk? How will staff restock displays? Where should the checkout be located? Only then should finishes, lighting and decorative language be finalized.
If you are planning a supermarket, grocery store or other retail refurbishment in Tabriz or another city, share the plan, site photographs and operating requirements to discuss an appropriate architectural design scope.
Visit Gavidel Architecture and enquire about your retail interior project
Project note: the images represent a conceptual design. Construction status, exact dimensions and technical implementation are subject to on-site verification and design development.
Related hashtags: #SupermarketDesignTabriz #TabrizRetailDesign #SupermarketInteriorDesign #NeoclassicalRetail #GroceryStoreDesign #RetailShelving #GavidelArchitecture
