Sir Terence Conran, the British designer who founded Habitat and later helped found London’s Design Museum, died on Saturday (12 September) at the age of 88.
Tributes have poured in from all corners of the design industry, celebrating his impressive design career and legacy.
Deyan Sudjic, now director emeritus of the Design Museum, said in a statement: “No one has done more to create modern Britain than Terence Conran. He spent his whole career looking for ways to make life better for everyone.”
Born in 1931, Sir Terence studied textile design at London’s Central School of Art before he set up a workshop with his tutor, the artist and print-maker Eduardo Paolozzi. Here, he concentrated on furniture design, ceramics and fabrics. Then, in the early 1950s, he worked on the Festival of Britain alongside architect Dennis Lennon.
However, Sir Terence really became a household name in the 1960s when he founded Habitat. Conran popularised Scandinavian style and changed the face of retail in Britain. The Habitat chain was the beginning of a shopping empire which included Mothercare, Heals, Richards Shops and British Home Stores.
Sir Terence was also at the forefront of professionalising design in Britain throughout his life. Founded over 60 years ago, The Conran Design Group demonstrated the best of design in Britain, specialising in interiors, hotel and restaurant design, graphics, products and homeware. He would also go on to establish an architectural practice with Fred Lloyd Roche called Conran Roche that eventually became Conran and Partners.
Alongside design, food was also one of Terence’s great passions and he became a renowned restaurateur. His first restaurant, with Ivan Storey, The Soup Kitchen, opened in London in 1953 and he went on to open many more including Pont de la Tour, Bibendum, Orrery, Quaglino’s and Mezzo.
In a statement, Sir Terence’s family wrote: “He was a visionary who enjoyed an extraordinary life and career that revolutionised the way we live in Britain… It gives us great comfort to know that many of you will mourn with us, but we ask that you celebrate Terence’s extraordinary legacy and contribution to the country he loved so dearly.”
Source: https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/sir-terence-conran-obituary-furniture-product-design-140920