“Big Nature” Inspires Walmart’s New Home Office Campus
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}

DETAILS

LocationBentonville, Arkansas
ClientWalmart
Size350 acres

What if the vast and varied landscapes of Northwest Arkansas surrounded and thrived all around the future Walmart Home Office Campus, reversing the typical expectations of a corporate headquarters campus? Walmart as a corporation has always celebrated its hometown heritage, and so their mandate for the 350-acre campus follows that same instinct: to preserve native ecologies and highlight the natural beauty of Arkansas. The “Big Nature” landscape master plan envisions a seamless campus between Walmart associates and the local Bentonville community, set against the majesty of natural features native to Arkansas, to reinforce holistic well-being. Each corner of the campus invites in the complex mosaic of habitats found throughout the region and honors the distinctive cultures that have been an integral part of the company’s history.

From woodland to wetland features, “quads” of varying size, shape, and program blur the line between what is constructed for the corporation and what is created for the community. Extensive tree canopies, tranquil courtyards, and placid lakes with native plantings, locally sourced materials, and comprehensive stormwater management underscore Walmart’s commitment to sustainability. Outdoor spaces support workplace flexibility, while a cohesive network of streets, walkways, and bikeways connect the campus both internally and with the surrounding community of Bentonville. The resulting work environment promises to become an inclusive and seamless part of its surroundings, attracting future Walmart associates and visitors with its connections to the region’s unique local ecologies and the company’s standing in the world marketplace.

Related Projects

Hennepin Avenue

Hennepin Avenue is the oldest street in Downtown Minneapolis, and has gone through multiple transformations over time. The street is undergoing a major reconstruction, and SWA is leading the effort to enhance the character of Hennepin for years to come. The conceptual approach was developed through a robust public engagement process, and touches on the three m...

Hewlett Packard Roseville

This restudy of the master plan for the 200-hectare Hewlett Packard site at Roseville, undertaken with architects Holland, East & Duvivier, led to a new master plan for the 23,000-square-meter service, repair, and distribution facility on the site as well as full landscape architectural services for the upgrading of the surrounding landscape. The plan deta...

North Texas Corporate Campus

Facing arduous competition in the effort to attract and retain top employee talent, companies are seeking ways to distinguish themselves through the design of their workplaces.  Reimaging and reinvigorating an outdated campus into a stimulating and rewarding work environment with quality amenities was the goal. To undertake the challenge of this campus transfo...

Technology Enterprise Campus

This corporate campus aims to provide a creative, multi-functional space with an authentic Houston character. The development is located in Springwoods Village, one of North Houston’s most progressive mixed-use communities. The design’s spaces include an arrival garden, a social park, an event terrace, and multi-function athletic court, which combine to establ...

Houston Green Loop

With the coming expansion and realignment of the highways around Downtown Houston, SWA identified the opportunity to enact a bold vision: a multi-use branded connectivity system that will leverage the immense reconstruction investment. SWA’s concept creates a continuous pedestrian loop over, under, and around the downtown highway system, thus redirecting the u...

Peanut Plaza

One of the most dangerous intersections at the gateway into downtown Washington DC was targeted for significant improvement. Prompted by the demolition of a Wendy’s restaurant and new road alignments to ease traffic congestion, SWA/Balsley was hired to create a memorable new gateway experience and usable, inviting parks in the newly acquired public land. The t...

Hewlett Packard Roseville

This restudy of the master plan for the 200-hectare Hewlett Packard site at Roseville, undertaken with architects Holland, East & Duvivier, led to a new master plan for the 23,000-square-meter service, repair, and distribution facility on the site as well as full landscape architectural services for the upgrading of the surrounding landscape. The plan deta...

Nanjing Tech Campus

This industrial park, located in Nanjing’s prominent Hongshan District, is an iterative upgrade of Shenzhen Galaxy World that will activate industry and finance city innovation. SWA proposed a “rivers and stars” design concept for the north and south commercial districts respectively, creating an attractive, flowing, high-quality commercial landscape for this ...