Barcelona-based industrial design studio The Emotion Lab designed a city bike rack based on the one thing that’s kept our belongings safe for hundreds of years; the padlock. Here’s their description:

Cities are dangerous. The world is dangerous. We just want to be safe. We want our belongings to be safe. Padlocks have been around for hundreds of years and have become a symbol of security. Safely park your bike (don’t worry about scratching it – we’ve taken care of that) and walk away worry-free. Relax; it’s all good.

It’s an interesting concept, but seems like a lot of wasted locking space. Could a u-lock get around that base? I don’t think so. Regardless, I dig their design process. Great precedent too. Check out more photocollages, design sketches and renderings here, at their portfolio site.