| After a disastrous fire in 1981 in which most of the factory buildings on the site were destroyed, the company hired British industrial architect, Nicholas Grimshaw, to create a new facility. Since insurance funds only covered a 6 month hiatus in production, design and execution followed in rapid sucession. The frame is pre-cast concrete, with service towers erected independently, aiding in speedy construction. The cladding is corrugated sheet metal with horizontal striations. The building has a clean industrial look so that the high tech style mirrors the function of the factory building. A second factory building, very similar to the first, was completed 2 years later. | ||
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The rounded corners add to the clean industrial look. |
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See also Sainsbury Market in London by Grimshaw built in the same decade as these factory buildings.
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