When asked to name Capita ESA's specialisms and research interests, design director Nic Sampson responds frankly: 'commercial architecture'. His practice's transformation of Courage Brewery's knackered 1980s quasi-vernacular HO in Staines underlines this as a serious declaration of intent. Its white concrete roof deck, featuring oblong light slots, cantilevers 11m and is paralleled by horizontal floor-level strata and brises-soleil, with judicious areas of glass walling eschewed as its dominant facade elements. 'Without wishing toappear immodest, I think Strata is the best office development seen in the Thames Valley for a long time,' its creator purrs.
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