Advancing our work as a firm within the Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program, we recently travelled to Bentonville to present our finalized Master Plan and design concepts for Bentonville Public Schools. Commissioned in 2024, the Master Plan outlines a long-term vision for a new parent-choice model school serving more than 1,300 students in Kindergarten through 6th grade, along with an early childcare center for district teachers, reimagining education at the heart of downtown Bentonville.
The plan transforms the 15.42-acre campus shared by R.E. Baker Elementary, Old High Middle School, and two district office buildings, preserving the historic Old High building while replacing the aging R.E. Baker facility with a new three-story school. Conceived as a true Downtown School, the design connects students, families, and the broader community through shared spaces for learning, play, and gathering.
Rooted in a philosophy of whole-child wellness, the school nurtures intellectual curiosity, physical health, emotional balance, and social connection. Emphasizing active, hands-on learning and strong connections to nature, indoor classrooms extend onto shared, protected outdoor classrooms for nature exploration, sensory play, and hands-on activities, enabling a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor learning. Main anchor spaces: The Commons, Learning Lab, Gymnasium, and the Old High Arts Pavilion support both daily school life and broader community use, reinforcing the campus as a lasting civic asset at the heart of downtown.
Developed through a rigorous pre-design and concept design process, the Master Plan is grounded in extensive stakeholder engagement with students, teachers, parents, school district leadership, and community members. Their input directly shaped the program, site strategies, and final design direction documented in the final report.
Read more about the project here.
