Royal Docks pumping station

This brightly coloured piece of Thames Water infrastructure is close to Siemens Crystal building and the Newham end of the Emirates Airline cable car.

Over 20 years ago, I worked for the civil engineering consultancy (Halcrow) responsible for the London Docklands stormwater drainage scheme. Most of this was substantial underground tunnels, but there were also three major pumping stations. The above-ground building housing each one was designed by a signature architect; this was the work of Richard Rogers Partnership, so has echoes of the Pompidou Centre with its exposed pipework and bright primary colours.