The architectural installation ‘Temple (The Last Cheeseburger)’ by Michael Cook Architecture & Design and G2-Studio has received the prestigious ‘Prix du Jury’ at Montpellier’s Festival des Architectures Vives for its thought-provoking commentary on environmental sustainability.

Situated in the courtyard of France’s Regional Ministry of Culture, the project visually represents the staggering 2,500 liters of water required to produce a single cheeseburger through an arresting composition of 5,000 recycled plastic bottles forming the walls of a temporary shrine. At its center lies an actual McDonald’s Le Royal Cheeseburger preserved in acrylic. This detail serves as both artifact and altar within this conceptual space that speculates about a future where climate change has rendered such indulgences obsolete.

The ‘Temple (The Last Cheeseburger)’ installation is interactive as it invites visitors to place flowers in the empty bottles.

Image Credit: photoarchitecture.com