Description
Area-17 interprets the innovative Hema Robot Restaurant by Alibaba Group with an interior design and layout that enhance the high-tech character of the original concept. The newest location occupies the second floor of a branded space that Hema opened inside NECC – the new National Convention and Exhibition Center in Shanghai. Visited by millions of people, this is the perfect location for an environment unifying the brand’s core values and an experimental approach to hospitality.
The main and defining feature of the restaurant is the automated process by which meals are delivered from the kitchen to the final client. A number of custom-designed robots run along tracks that span from operational spaces to the dining area, reaching each table with its tailored order ready to eat.
Central to the project is the variety of delivery methods offered that follows an order placed through the Hema App: from the restaurant accommodation to the pick-up, from the storage in a locker to the delivery within NECC. The Robot Restaurant is an answer to the challenges rising from Alibaba’s New Retail model of integrating the online, offline, logistics and data across a single value chain to create up-sale opportunities.
The interior design enhances the futuristic character of the hospitality concept, opting for materials and finishing with a high-tech flair especially in the area served by the robots. Here, a polished corrugated metal cladding covers the walls reflecting the blue glow of the ceiling feature. This special venue creates a great opportunity of showcasing, which materializes in deeply branded interiors where Hema’s visual identity typifies the architectural shell. Hema blue inserts punctuate both horizontal and vertical surfaces returning a powerful graphical vibe.
Large windows opening onto kitchen and logistic areas focus the attention on efficiency, food safety, and transparency of operations, all themes embodied in the original concept. A carefully thought layout guarantees the smoothness of activities and logistics without interfering with the robots’ routes and preserving the importance of focal points.
The project is completed by a food hall connected to the Robot Restaurant that hosts other tenants completing the food&beverage offer. The accommodation here is more flexible and informal, providing various levels of privacy. The whole space is connected to a Hema convenience store on the lower level, whose layout is specifically designed for transit spaces aiming to maximize the efficacy of the shopping experience.
