Breaking news: British designer Terence Conran, founder of furniture brand Habitat and London's Design Museum, has died aged 88.
Conran passed away today at his home at Barton Court, London, his family revealed in a statement.
"It is with great sadness we announce British designer, retailer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran passed away peacefully today at his Barton Court home aged 88," the family said.
"He was a visionary who enjoyed an extraordinary life and career that revolutionised the way we live in Britain. A proud patriot, Sir Terence promoted the best of British design, culture and the arts around the world and at the heart of everything he did was a very simple belief that good design improves the quality of people's lives."
Conran had "had a greater impact than any other designer of his generation"
Conran was born in Kingston upon Thames, UK, on 4 October 1931. In 1948, he enrolled at Central School of Art and Design – now incorporated as part of Central Saint Martins – to study textiles but quit on the advice of his tutor to join the practice of architect Dennis Lennon.
He started selling furniture in 1952, before founding the London restaurants Soup Kitchen and Orrery in 1953 and 1954 respectively. In 1956, he founded his own design studio Conran Design Group.
The prolific designer and restauranteur is perhaps best known for founding British retail chain Habitat, which he founded in 1964 with his wife at the time Caroline Herbert.
Starting off with a store on Fulham Road in Chelsea, London, the chain soon expanded with an outlet on London's Tottenham Court Road, as well as stores in Manchester, Brighton and Glasgow within two years.
In 1973, he opened Habitat's largest branch on King's Road and founded the first The Conran Shop on the site of the original Habitat store on Fulham Road.
In 1989, he founded London's Design Museum in a 1950s former banana warehouse at Butler's Wharf.
"Through a series of parallel careers, Sir Terence Conran had a greater impact than any other designer of his generation, revolutionising everyday life in contemporary Britain," said the Design Museum in a statement.
"No one has done more to create modern Britain than Terence Conran," said former Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic. "He spent his whole career looking for ways to make life better for everyone."
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