Overview
- The Walton family named Bjarke Ingels Group as lead designer and Polk Stanley Wilcox as architect of record for a three-building, two-block campus that will total about 422,000 square feet.
- The planned campus program includes a 130,614-square-foot makerspace, a 147,525-square-foot academic building, and a 400-bed residence hall arranged around public plazas and green space.
- Institute officials say the school will welcome its first students in 2029, expect an initial graduating class of about 500, and plan to cover tuition in the institute’s early years.
- Designs emphasize industry integration and public access by making labs and workshops visible from the street, promoting partnerships with companies, and prioritizing workforce development and technology training including AI-related skills.
- The project repurposes the former Walmart Home Office at South Walton Boulevard and SW 8th Street and joins other Walton family investments such as Crystal Bridges as part of a broader effort to reshape Bentonville’s urban and economic landscape.