Situated across the Historic Peninsula in the heart of Istanbul, Frankie is a sleek contemporary hybrid restaurant for drinking, dining, socializing, and entertainment. Seeking a design that is bold, modern, and performative, GEO_ID’s response to it turned out to be a ‘one-stop bar’; a sleek contemporary hybrid restaurant that invites visitors to connect over a multipurpose bar where they enjoy high-quality drinks, eat delicious food, and connect over music. 

The design of Frankie started by welcoming its guest with a strikingly all-red lobby. Standing in the center of the red cube-shaped space is a Fenix sculpture by Seda Gazioglu, which is among many of GEO_ID’s hybrid collaborations with a wide array of local artists plus skilled artisans to achieve highly customized outcomes. A glimpse of what is to come, the studio played with lights revealing the identity of an enticing atmosphere where delicious ambiance and performative club hours merge. 

Entering the restaurant, the colors blend into a dark brown and black palette until they reach the Bosphorus view, elevating the experience. The two-story restaurant space is planned in three themes; the one-stop bar, the tables, and the outdoor upper terrace. Spatial qualities had definitive roles in design; the L-shaped plan scheme gave direction to the spatial organization centering the bar connecting two table-sitting wings, while the expansive outdoor terrace’s design upstairs focused on benefiting the enviable views of the Bosphorus, Historic Peninsula, and the cruises. 

GEO_ID has introduced various accents and details throughout the interior to make it more vibrant. The brown lacquered wood panels have wooden laths in slightly different colors creating a relief-like surface and adding depth to the walls and ceilings. Artworks by Marianne Maric settle between laths and are framed with lighting fixtures creating multiple layers. Sculptural pendants changing in size and height are used as a unifying design element to seamlessly transition between the bar and table seating spaces. Low tables and lounge seatings contribute to the character of the restaurant’s facing an elegant, illuminating wine cellar. Late hours also bring in new colors with lighting design. 

The heart of the space is occupied by a series of high counters making up a dynamic bar area from where the drinks are prepared, the diners can sit, and the DJ performs. The experimental bar in black and the atmosphere it creates evolve as the energy rises and the tempo picks up - from a chillax happy hour space to a lively party venue throughout the night. Extending its purpose via accommodating both the performers and the guests, the sense of theater creates a sensory journey heightened by music.