location: oak brook, il

sector: workplace

completed: 2023

client: jll & oak brook reserve

civil engineering: kimley horn

gc: executive construction

photo: connor steinkamp

Set within the redeveloped Oak Brook Reserve campus in Oak Brook, Illinois — formerly home to McDonald’s Corporation’s global headquarters — the landscape for Ace Corporate Headquarters reimagines a legacy site for a new generation of workplace wellness. Completed in 2023, the project was commissioned through JLL as part of a broader repositioning effort, ultimately welcoming Ace Hardware as the long-term anchor tenant.

The design was guided by a simple but powerful concept: re-engage employees with the outdoors. As part of a major interior renovation that introduced a new cafeteria and wellness amenities, the landscape was transformed to extend those experiences into the surrounding environment. Carving into an existing hillside, the design created a series of outdoor rooms for dining, demonstration grilling, and informal gathering — all oriented to enhance views of the adjacent lake and arboretum campus.

Key improvements included a fully reconstructed vehicular arrival court, which resolved long-standing waterproofing issues above the underground garage while refining the campus’s arrival experience. Adjacent to the building, expanded terraces support seasonal programming and employee engagement, while strategic landform reshaping opens up sightlines to the surrounding natural landscape.

The project’s technical challenges were significant. The arrival court sits entirely atop a 1982-era parking structure with limited profile depth, fixed drainage inverts, and shallow finish grades. To navigate these constraints, the design team partnered closely with the general contractor to conduct extensive surveying and digital modeling. The final solution maintained effective drainage, resolved waterproofing concerns, and improved accessibility — replacing curbed barriers with seamless transitions between vehicular and pedestrian zones.

Collaboration was central to the project’s success. Oro Design Group partnered with Lamar Johnson Collaborative to deliver a cohesive vision for the exterior improvements. A series of multidisciplinary charrettes energized the design process, aligning landscape and architectural strategies across the site.

Since completion, the outdoor spaces have been enthusiastically embraced by Ace Hardware’s leadership and staff, becoming a valued extension of the workplace. Even before construction, the project’s planning phase was recognized with an Honor Award in the Unrealized Category by the St. Louis Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects — a testament to the strength of its vision and collaborative spirit.