Architects present reimagined downtown K–6 campus centered on Old High arts pavilion

Marble Fairbanks on Tuesday presented Bentonville School District board members with a concept design for a combined K–6 school that preserves the district’s Old High building as an arts pavilion and places classrooms around terraced outdoor courtyards.

The design team said the three‑story classroom wing would free up perimeter fields, provide direct outdoor access from every classroom, and anchor community‑facing spaces — including a dining commons with a culinary test kitchen and a rentable wing near the Old High arts pavilion and amphitheater.

The project team said the master plan grew from guiding principles set with district leaders in January: active, hands‑on learning; connection to nature; student‑centered social‑emotional design; creativity; and downtown integration. Tanya of Marble Fairbanks told the board the team narrowed four site strategies to one scheme with south‑facing small courtyards and a terraced classroom cluster during the concept phase and was in a review period for a report to be finalized in October.

“A cornerstone of this campus is Old High,” the designers said, describing it as reimagined for arts programming with an outdoor amphitheater and rentable space for community events. The dining commons is sited to face mature trees and the planned nature play area, and the learning lab at the main entry would double as a hands‑on maker space and double‑height library.

Designers showed renderings that emphasize sightlines across levels so younger and older grade clusters are visually connected and described a circulation scheme that would permit separate event and bus entries so evening community events could be held while school areas remain secured. The team also presented material palettes favoring neutral, natural, locally‑sourced materials and low‑maintenance landscaping.

Board members asked about public reaction to a community forum held the previous night. The presenters said turnout was strong, concerns about demolition of Old High were quickly allayed, and questions focused on security and enrollment. Panelists also said the team had discussed alternative transportation and an option that had previously considered a fully bikeable campus; designers said they are still working to integrate bicycle access with landscape design.

Designers provided current parking counts for the preferred scheme: about 200 spaces in the main lot, an additional roughly 65 vehicle spaces along the car drop, 65 more parking spaces on the western side of the site and space for about 20 buses; they said the scheme separates bus and car circulation to avoid conflict points.

The district and design team said they expect to synthesize community feedback and finalize the concept in October. No binding approvals or funding decisions were made during the presentation; the session was informational and board members were invited to submit questions before the October finalization.

Details provided by Marble Fairbanks at the meeting are subject to revision as the design proceeds through the district review and any future budgeting and permitting steps.