Project Highlight: Alice Walton School of Medicine
- pedmund
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Healthcare is facing a critical need for more physicians, and Northwest Arkansas is familiar with this shortage. In response, Alice Walton decided to move forward with the creation of a healthcare education focused on whole-person care. The Alice Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) helps to define the era of healthcare in the Bentonville, AR. McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc. (MCE) was brought on as civil and geotechnical engineers to create a building that could live up to the desired legacy. The campus integrates physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being into the student experience through natural materials, daylight, and strong indoor-outdoor connections, shaping a learning environment rooted in wellness and reflection. The campus is stretched over 13 acres including underground and surface parking.Â
In addition to the developed landscape, site constraints included limited downstream sewer capacity, complex grading and drainage requirements, and the need to integrate with Bentonville’s expanding roadway and utility systems. Without detailed analysis and targeted off-site improvements, the proposed development risked straining public infrastructure and limiting long-term functionality, something MCE understood well, having taken on several projects in the developed Northwest Arkansas.Â
Scope of Work
McClelland supported the medical school from planning to construction as civil and geotechnical engineers, ensuring there was close coordination between architectural, structural, and landscape disciplines.
The project began with topographic surveys of the project site and adjacent infrastructure corridors, which supported informed site grading strategies that balanced constructability, stormwater management, and preservation of green space.Â
MCE performed geotechnical investigations initially in January 2022, which evaluated subsurface conditions related to site preparation, grading operations, excavations, foundations, pavement sections, and utility improvements based on early project documents. During this phase, potentially problematic rock conditions were identified. Following finalization of the structural design, MCE conducted a supplemental geotechnical investigation in August 2022 that specifically targeted the limestone formation underlying the site to support the planned deep foundation system. At the time of the final investigation, the geotechnical recommendations addressed foundation design parameters, excavation considerations, and construction sequencing to ensure long-term performance and structural stability under these significant loads. In addition to design services, MCE provided construction materials testing and special inspection services throughout the project. Through continuous testing and inspection, MCE supported quality control across all phases of construction, reduced construction risk, and reinforced accountability on a complex institutional project.
Public Importance
AWSOM represents the necessary investment in public health, education, and economic development. Infrastructure improvements associated with the project enhance safety, circulation, and utility reliability for both the campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Sustainable design principles were incorporated through stormwater management strategies that protect natural resources as well as underground parking that preserves surface green space. The campus contributes to workforce development, attracts talent to the region, and reinforces Bentonville’s role as a center for innovation, helping define its legacy in healthcare.
The completed project saw the idea of a forward-thinking medical school brought to life while aiding the landscape in architectural beauty and strengthening the minds in our community for a summer 2025 enrollment. The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine highlights innovative civil and geotechnical engineering addressing complex site challenges with resilient, future-ready solutions. This project sets a benchmark for engineering excellence, demonstrating how thoughtful, integrated approaches enable transformative institutional developments that align with urban growth.
Continuous coordination among disciplines was essential to align structural demands, subsurface conditions, utility infrastructure, and architectural intent. MCE worked in tandem with Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects, Office of Strategy + Design, Martin/Martin, Henderson Engineers, and Crossland Construction.Â
MCE’s list of services for the Alice Walton School of Medicine includes: advanced grading and drainage design, off-site sewer extensions, roadway design, topographic surveying, geotechnical investigations, utility coordination, permitting, special inspections, subgrade evaluation and recommendations, drilled pier observation, soil and aggregate density testing, laboratory soils testing, reinforcing steel observation, cast-in-place concrete testing, CMU grout and mortar testing, asphalt testing, floor flatness and levelness testing, sprayed fireproofing inspections, structural steel and welding inspections, and firestop and fire penetration inspections.
Written by Paige Edmund and Layne Adams
Photos provided Tim Hursley