Alice L. Walton Foundation Plans New STEM University

The Alice L. Walton Foundation is planning to establish a new STEM-focused university in Bentonville, Ark. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Polk Stanley Wilcox, the 422,000-sf campus will be built on the former site of the Walmart Home Office and will encompass a trio of leading-edge buildings. A makerspace spanning 130,614 sf will drive discovery while showcasing physical experimentation and rapid prototyping to the wider community. Workshops will be accompanied by labs, offices, areas for student services, and a multipurpose forum. Aiming to break down silos between disciplines, a 147,525-sf academic facility with a daylit central atrium will strategically intersperse classrooms, laboratories, and office environments to foster collaboration. A 400-bed residential structure will be organized in a figure-eight shape, offering a dining hall and shared amenity venues atop two elevated courtyards. 

Prioritizing flexibility and adaptability, the institution will embed artificial intelligence and advanced technology across its programs and teaching methodologies. The pioneering development will serve as an inviting gateway where companies and enterprises can connect with students, co-create innovation pipelines, and build incubators that generate sustained economic vitality in the region. Seeking to expand access to higher education, the complex will anchor an integrated neighborhood arranged around a series of parks and green spaces.

Crossland Construction is the general contractor with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant. The project team also includes Buro Happold, Walter P Moore, Henderson Engineers, LERA Consulting Structural Engineers, UES, Heintges, Lerch Bates, Legends Global, EDSA, KGM Architectural Lighting, Schuler Shook, Threshold Acoustics & AV, CCI, Studio 08 Consultants, and JME Design. Occupancy is slated for 2029. The Alice L. Walton Foundation previously opened a premier medical school in July of 2025 on its Crystal Bridges Campus in Bentonville, and is planning a future health and wellness destination in the city.