Next Exit. A New Chapter
in McDonald's History
Company
McDonald's
Project Scope
Environmental Graphics
In partnership with IA Interior Architects
Designed @Studio O+A
Team
Primo Orpilla, Perry Stephney,
Elizabeth Vereker, Tari Pelaez,
Alex Bautista,Paulina McFarland,
Jill Gentles, Donald Koide, Kristina Cho
Awards
Best Of Year 2018 for Extra Large Office
Best Of Year 2018 for Branding and Graphics: Environmental
ADC Bronze Cube for Spatial Design
Photographer
Garrett Rowland
When McDonald's decided to move its headquarters after nearly half a century, to Chicago's historic West Loop, it marked a change in the direction of the company. This future-forward decision set in motion many changes that will propel the giant on a new journey.
As part of that effort, Studio O+A developed a story of The Next Exit which embodies both the nostalgia of an American road trip experience and that of the daring leap into the future.
The pattern that welcomes visitors at the entry stairway is a tribute to the most popular of McDonald's offering, The Big Mac. The design deconstructs this popular food item into abstract shapes and colors, leaving a hint of connection.
A variety of fabrication techniques were used in these large-scale installations to delight the visitor and bring an element of surprise to the visiting public. Installations like the penny press, the resin packaging wall, and the whimsical toy cabinet, evoke the feeling of childhood playfulness, yet come together in the sophisticated use of materials and design aesthetics.
