McDonald's Innovation Center—From Scrappy Utility To Scrappy Chic
I worked as a part of an interiors team in a role of a senior designer, and my responsibility involved concept development on specific brand moments, graphic and environmental design, production and vendor coordination.
Team
Primo Orpilla, Mindi Weichman, Alex Bautista, Elizabeth Vereker, Paulina McFarland, Kaylen Parker
Photographer
Garrett Rowland
The Problem
Romeoville, Illinois is a midwestern sprawl that is home to Mcdonald’s unassuming facility which drives the company’s experimentation and product innovation. A metaphoric brain in a jar—the IC center is a lab-like environment where kitchen equipment is tested and new processes are fine-tuned and optimized.
Romeoville, Illinois is a midwestern sprawl that is home to Mcdonald’s unassuming facility which drives the company’s experimentation and product innovation. A metaphoric brain in a jar—the IC center is a lab-like environment where kitchen equipment is tested and new processes are fine-tuned and optimized.
Space, however, due to its heavily utilitarian character, was often described as “hangar-like”, and filled with purpose-lacking clutter. It did not feel like a part of the global food brand and was not in sync with the recently revamped Chicago HQ. O+A’s team was tasked with creating a more successful space layout, as well as elevating the design to match the brand.
A Meaningful Story
I was responsible for matching the new materiality with meaningful graphics and developing a narrative that would inspire and accentuate the sense of pride the employees feel in the company and its innovative practices.
Super-Sized
The clunky and utilitarian function of the space was not to be avoided and had to become an integral part of the story. Since the client was proud of the innovation aspect and wanted to exhibit equipment parts I decided to amplify the focus on the small parts—they became the inspiration for the large graphics. Much like the people behind the face of the brand, continually testing and reinvigorating old processes.
