Happy Families

If you ever take the train into Victoria, you may have noticed the large apartment blocks that have sprung up between the station and the river. Two of the buildings, by Make Architects, have distinctive metallic cladding imprinted with tree shapes. While one side has the misfortune of facing the railway lines, the other fronts onto a little known dock off the Thames, and is part of an attractive development called Grosvenor Waterside.

The ground floor of this particular block has a very colourful tenant called Purple Dragon, an exclusive private members' club, for kids. It's nothing less than a fun factory, complete with a well stocked playroom, known as the Imaginarium, a music room, an indoor adventure playground, a children's kitchen, a swimming pool and an art & crafts room. It's a place where kids can both learn and play in a stunning environment designed by the team at Keen & Able. But what makes this more than a glorified creche or nursery, is that it caters for the parents too, with its sophisticated design, and additional facilities including a rather smart licensed restaurant, a very inviting lounge, stocked with a library of books supplied by Taschen, and even an indoor golf simulator.

I'm sure the kids love it here, but with facilities like this, I'm sure most of the parents are only too happy to be members.