Is this jewelled bike station the last gasp of bling?

This scene may look like Amsterdam at twilight, except those aren’t tramlines, but a canopy of lights in East-designed Bermondsey Square.

And the geometric structure on the right is a bicycle station for 76 bikes designed by eco-architects Sarah Wigglesworth. The triangles are stainless steel cladding panels. The structure itself is made from 13 Douglas fir portal frames clad on the internal face with translucent glass-reinforced plastic sheeting to provide natural, diffused light. The interior houses a double-stacked bike rack system by Josta.

Other elements of the Igloo regeneration scheme – a petanque pitch, benches, bollards and cycle hoops – are conceived as “an array of jewels which are scattered on the carpet of the square”. A local antiques market inspired the design.

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