Contract Magazine - March 2018 - 24

Designers
You
Should
Know
FRANK

Former classmates in the master of architecture
program at the University of Calgary, Kate Allen,
Kelly Morrison, and Kristen Lien founded the firm
FRANK in 2012 in Calgary, Alberta. Now a firm
of 18 professionals, FRANK is designing some of
the most popular hospitality interiors in Calgary
and western Canada.

24

Kelly Morrison, Kate Allen,
and Kristen Lien (left to
right in photo, left) lead the
Calgary-based design firm
FRANK. Their recent interiors
in Calgary include the bar and
lounge Bridgette (below, left
and right) and Café 29 in the
Glencoe Club (bottom, left).

Why the name FRANK?
The name FRANK speaks to our business approach,
which is open, honest, and frank.
Is there some aspect of being in Calgary that
informs your designs?
In Calgary, with cold winters and hot summers,
we design each space to transition between seasons
to feel cozy in the winter and bright in the summer.
We use lighting, textiles, styling, and operable windows
to help transform our spaces from season to season.
Is there a recent project that you are most proud of?
What is special about it?
Completed in recent months, Bridgette is the latest
chef-driven bar in Calgary. Heavily influenced by the
aesthetic of the 1960s and early 1970s, the interior
is welcoming and unpretentious, yet executed with
extreme attention to detail. The active wood-fired
cooking method is on display as a focal point of the
raised dining level. Bridgette captures the nostalgia
of a golden age in music, design, and social gathering,
while offering a fresh take on dining out. Taking
inspiration from a time in which pool parties
and backyard barbeques were the norm, Bridgette
provides residential comfort and flexibility of social
space while offering the appeal of a night out.
What is unique about your overall design approach?
Each project has an overarching concept that is
developed early in the design process. Our goal
is to help facilitate a unique and meaningful

experience through concept-driven design that
links the interior to everything, including the food
concept, music, and beverage program. By establishing
a conceptual thread that links all project aspects,
we offer a cohesive and considered experience where
each element complements and even elevates the
next. With restaurant design, we have the opportunity
to provide a concise and memorable experience that
punctuates everyday life.
What is important in design today?
Telling a story is important. We believe that people
are seeking experiences that are rich and rooted.
We carefully curate our spaces to include details,
finishes, and textures that tie back to the concept.
What's next for FRANK?
We are working on major renovations to the food
and beverage offerings at both the Fairmont Palliser
in Calgary and the Fairmont Banff Springs hotels.
For the Glencoe Club, Calgary's premier sports and
social club, we have completed a food-and-beverage
master plan that will be rolled out over the next several
years. And Elma is a new restaurant in Penticton,
British Columbia, that will open in late 2018 with
Turkish food and beachy mid-century vibes.

contractdesign.com

MARCH 2018

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY FRANK (ALL)

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Contract Magazine - March 2018

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