Twenty-five architecture and design firms proposed design solutions for affordable housing in Northwest Arkansas in a competition hosted by the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas. The winning design concepts were announced as part of the Housing Northwest Arkansas Professional Design Competition, which speaks to the affordable housing crisis that also reaches across the country. The design competition winners were Kevin Daly Architects (KDA) of Los Angeles; Digsau of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 5468796 Architecture of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; and Merge Architects Inc. of Boston.

KDA’s proposal creates a contemporary development that expresses Bentonville’s unique characteristics while reinventing the site to be welcoming, affordable, and culturally supportive. The design addresses housing density issues in Bentonville without changing the quality of the city. In fact, the planning strategy encourages community building, integrates with the existing landscape and establishes strong pedestrian and bicycle pathways to enhance the neighborhood. The arts retail and live-work spaces are oriented towards the Momentary establishing a cultural and physical connection. 

The incubator/creative office space is located on SE 8th Street, connecting it to the 8th Street Market and corporate offices. A winding path links the housing to the Razorback Greenway, supporting cycling as a viable transportation option. Clusters of housing are oriented, some off axis, to prioritize open space and form natural neighborhoods that encourage socializing, community building and connections among residents. This pinwheel arrangement for the housing clusters has other benefits. First, by separating the mass of each building (unlike a typical low rise courtyard building) sunlight is increased on multiple exposures and natural ventilation is on several sides of each unit. Second, the garden level units can now slide outward to create private terraces for the upper level units. Third, by fabricating custom covered walkways, each with a unique but complimentary profile, the design encourages housing clusters, minimizes circulation, and shapes a third outdoor space.