Recent additions push Walton Family Foundation’s Design Excellence Programs to nearly 70 firms from U.S., Canada and Denmark

Northwest Arkansas

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) June 27, 2019 10:07 am 915 views 

The Walton Family Foundation has selected 18 new design firms to join its Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program. Earlier this spring, the foundation held an open application cycle for design professionals, with a focus on landscape architecture and urban design in small communities.

The Design Excellence Program was created in 2015 to promote the highest level of design in the development of future public buildings and spaces in Benton and Washington counties. It selects design professionals and projects based on four key principles: a commitment to strengthening public life; elevating standards of sustainability and resilience; celebrating local cultures and place; and building regional capacity.

The newest firms to join the program are:

  • CIVITAS: Denver, Colo.
  • Coen+Partners: Minneapolis, Minn.
  • Dig Studio: Denver, Colo.
  • Ecological Design Group: Little Rock
  • Ground Control: Philadelphia, Penn.
  • Halff Associates: Dallas, Texas
  • Hoerr Schaudt Landscapes: Chicago, Ill.
  • James Corner Field Operations: New York City, N.Y.
  • Janet Rosenberg and Studio: Ontario, Canada
  • La Quatra Bonci: Pittsburgh, Penn.
  • Port: Chicago, Ill.
  • Rundell Ernstberger Associates: Indianapolis, Ind.
  • Studio One Eleven: Long Beach, Calif.
  • Studio Outside: Dallas, Texas
  • Studio Bryan Hanes: Philadelphia, Penn.
  • SWA Architects: Pasadena, Calif.
  • Travis Van Liere: Minneapolis, Minn.
  • Unknown Studio: Baltimore, Md.

With the new additions, nearly 70 architecture and landscape architecture firms representing 15 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Denmark have been admitted to the program.

Since its launch, the Design Excellence Program has supported 11 projects across the region’s five largest downtowns. To date, its design professionals have completed Memorial Park in Siloam Springs, the Rogers Historical Museum and the Helen Walton Children’s Enrichment Center in Bentonville, with TheatreSquared in Fayetteville and a portion of Thaden School’s campus in Bentonville set to open this summer.

A full review of current projects can be found at this link.