Habitat in Croydon – let’s hope it’s a one-off

As one of the original conceptual designers working with Terence Conran on Habitat back in 1964, I’m amazed that IKEA, the present owner, should accept the designs as featured in your article entitled “Habitat’s new Croydon store” (DW 23 August).

In my opinion, the designs produced by Gerald Taylor contradict what we are told of the original design brief.

Who, I wonder, could conceive of galvanised metal and timber as materials that reflect a “soft feminine feel” – that is, of course, assuming a “soft feminine feel” is correct for Habitat. Not to mention the fact that Taylor allows the soft feminine galvanised glazing bars to cut through the Habitat logo. It certainly has that abandoned feel, to say nothing of a sense of domesticity. Let’s hope it will be a one-off design.

Huge sheds don’t have to be square and hard-edged do they?

George Montague

George Montague Associates

Nottingham NG24 1EU