“We feel we have achieved something rare in a Retail Park - an intimate and cosy space, like that of a High Street store.” Habitat
- Client Habitat
- Project Habitat – new Edge of Town delivery
- Cost £ 1.4m
- Sector Retail
- Location Birstall, Leeds
- Date Open November 2004
- Background
- In 1964, Terence Conran founded Habitat Ltd, opening the first shop at 77 Fulham Road, London. Habitat sold its own smart, reasonably priced furniture and household goods alongside pieces by French, Italian and Scandinavian manufacturers, in a stylish open-plan environment. 40 years on, the chain has grown to over 70 stores throughout the UK and Europe.
- The Challenge
- Lewis and Hickey were briefed by Habitat to look at four specific areas of concern relating to the development and implementation of their latest Edge of Town stores.
- These Were:
• Quality of store delivery to the client – delivering a better end product
• Review of services and finishes against alternatives on the market
• Interpretation and implementation of Habitat's brand and vision
• Adaptation of new design concept to Edge of Town environment - The Solution
- L&H Solutions, co-coordinating both internal associated services - Architecture, M&E Design and Safety Management - and external resources, have delivered the first of the new format stores within a challenging timescale and to the agreed budget. The store, trading from approximately 15,000 sq ft, focuses on a design led environment that provides customers with domestic scale settings, guiding them to key promotions and services through simple strong signage and creating a clean, visually stimulating environment, enabling them to fully appreciate the breadth of Habitat's furnishings range and strengthening Habitat's position in the home furnishings market.