A forgotten corner of Philadelphia is set to come alive this summer as Frankie’s Summer Club opens on June 20 in the courtyard of a historic building by Frank Furness. The seasonal pop-up bar marks the first step in a broader urban regeneration initiative led by scout in collaboration with ISA – Interface Studio Architects.
Ph. © Bre Furlong
What sets the project apart is its unlikely muse: an unbuilt 1964 proposal by Louis Kahn for the University of the Arts campus. Kahn's ambitious design imagined a cluster of monumental forms crafted to capture diffuse northern light, redefining the architecture of learning in the heart of the city. Though never realized, the spirit of that vision finds new life in the ephemeral architecture of Frankie's.
Here, fluid curves, lightweight structures, and intimate social spaces come together to form a contemporary "urban room"—a convivial, poetic setting that reactivates the site's architectural memory. It's a design gesture that honours Philadelphia's layered urban fabric while tapping into the evocative power of architecture that never came to be.
The pop-up is also a prelude to something larger: the transformation of the former University of the Arts campus into a new creative hub, set to launch its first official chapter this autumn.
Ph. © Bre Furlong
To complete the immersive experience, the bar will offer natural wines, soft-serve gelato, and seasonal small plates by Chef Michael Ferreri, best known for his work at Irwin's in the Bok Building.
"Frankie's is more than a pop-up—it's an invitation to rediscover an iconic place through the lens of design," says Lindsey Scannapieco, managing partner at Scout. "It's a preview of what's to come."
Ph. © Bre Furlong
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Cover image: Ph. © Bre Furlong
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