In the American Midwest’s largest city, one of the world’s most recognizable brands—McDonald’s—is showcasing how wood can bring value and help express the company’s growing commitment to environmentally conscious choices. For its latest Chicago-based flagship restaurant, the three-quarters-of-a-century-old fast food chain is shaking off its once plastic-clad brightly colored interiors for an exposed timber design, along with more sustainable, naturally hued materials. The choice to use wood came early in the process with the goal: “design authenticity.” As Carol Ross Barney of Ross Barney Architects explains, some durable materials aren’t always authentic and eco-friendly. Mass timber offers durability, resilience and sustainability. And “because you can use CLT like any panelized material, such as precast concrete or steel, it’s a robust, cost-effective and green alternative.”
In addition to the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT), the restaurant features more than 70 trees at ground level, a vegetated roof space and a floating glass garden of ferns and white birch trees. The roofs feature edible plants including apple trees that will be harvested and donated to the Ronald McDonald House. The project signals the fast food giant’s interest in biophilic and eco-friendly design. The iconic burger chain began this shift back in 2016 when it moved away from red and yellow mostly synthetically manufactured interiors in favor of more natural materials and nature-inspired color-palettes. And this year, McDonald’s announced they would be opening two “green concept restaurants” in Canada.