Thaden School is a private institution with a public mission, serving as a new independent high school located in Bentonville, Arkansas. The school offers a unique curriculum that blends exceptional academic performance with hands-on learning experiences. It features three signature courses: Wheels, which brings physics and mechanics to life through the building and use of bicycles and other wheeled machines; Meals, which connects biology, chemistry, and local communities through growing and preparing food; and Film, which explores narrative and visual communication through film and video production.
The school collaborates with local community organizations in visual and culinary arts, cycling, and community service, offering students learning opportunities both on campus and in the surrounding community. Its comprehensive teaching approach combines indoor and outdoor educational experiences.
Campus Planning. The campus master plan unites two separate parcels through a ‘shared street’ concept where cars, pedestrians, and cyclists coexist. Buildings on either side follow traditional Arkansas architectural strategies, featuring narrow structures designed to control intense southern sunlight and promote natural ventilation beneath wide eaves. These narrow buildings curve gently to avoid long interior corridors and to create inviting outdoor gathering spaces. The campus itself serves as an educational tool, functioning as a productive and restorative landscape that supports agriculture, addresses flood management, and restores native ecosystems.
This project was realized in multiple phases based on a comprehensive master plan developed in collaboration with Eskew Dumez Ripple, landscape architect Andropogon, and engineering firm CMTA. Marlon Blackwell Architects designed six out of the seven campus buildings, completed between 2019 and 2021.
Thaden House (2019). Positioned at the corner of 8th Street and C Street, this building is the relocated original residence of Louis Thaden, the campus founder after whom the school is named. It was carefully preserved and restored to reflect its original appearance, complemented by a new, separate bathroom addition on the south side. This addition creates a courtyard space characteristic of early 20th-century Ozark farms. The interior remains open to highlight its history and serve as a grand entrance and meeting area. The smaller wing functions as a conference room and gallery, while the second floor has been repurposed as a private archive housing the history of the Thaden family.
Film Art and Administration Building (August 2019). This new facility houses Thaden School’s signature Film course, featuring classrooms, wet labs, and administrative offices. Its undulating roof design tackles environmental challenges such as water collection and daylighting, while also framing the entrance and connecting various landscapes. The distinctive sloped roof throughout campus maximizes sunlight and ventilation. Located in the northeast corner, the building’s large entrance porch leads to the campus core, including the Thaden Performance Building and the courtyard shared with Thaden House.
The administrative offices share the building with the Film course, maintaining close ties with campus activities and providing a supportive environment for first-year students. Internally, classrooms and wet labs are separated by service areas such as storage, restrooms, and mechanical rooms arranged in a linear layout. A sunlit corridor connects the various labs, with student workspaces on both sides, fostering a dynamic and collaborative learning atmosphere.
Wheel Science and Manufacturing Building (August 2020). This building supports the signature ‘Wheel’ curriculum, connecting the campus to Bentonville Square and establishing a public space for the school. Situated on the west side of two student public areas and south of the Thaden Performance Building, it opens eastward to create a welcoming entrance. The canopy along Main Street acts as a campus “billboard” and provides an outdoor workspace for the Wheel Lab. Similar to the Art and Administration Building, the roof design combines environmental performance with visual expression.
The building’s layout features a simple linear organization along its main axis, with iconic structures anchoring the east and west ends. Covered areas extend student workspaces outdoors, connecting indoor and outdoor environments while showcasing activities to both campus and community. The Maker Space is located within the student public zone, displaying student projects. A widened central corridor facilitates collaborative spaces bathed in steady sunlight from the roof throughout the year.
Multifunctional Barn (May 2020). Located on the eastern embankment of the campus near the football field, bike lane, and pump track, this barn integrates into a pedestrian network linking Thaden School to a larger trail system spanning northwest Arkansas. Inspired by the Ozark folding roof barn design, its structure maximizes clear height under the trusses to accommodate various sports such as volleyball, basketball, and cycling, while also providing bicycle storage.
Local manufacturers crafted the trusses using regional materials and expertise. The exterior walls are clad in local cypress wood, finished either with traditional barn-red paint or transparent sealant to preserve the wood. A deep porch on the west side faces the football field, offering shelter and shade for spectators. Except for storage and locker rooms, the barn is naturally ventilated through open gaps between cypress boards, ventilation skylights, and multiple rolling shutter doors that open directly to the surrounding landscape.
Performance Building (November 2021). Situated in the northwest corner of the main campus as part of the overall master plan, this building is highly visible to the public and functions as a vibrant community center while ensuring campus security. It supports courses in various performing arts disciplines, including music, drama, and film, and serves as a world-class venue accessible at all times.
The building’s diverse and efficient spatial organization furthers the school’s mission as a platform for improvisation, experimentation, and creativity. Its expansive interior and expressive ceiling create an inviting and dynamic atmosphere, extending beyond the building’s main volume to a skylit entrance. Aside from two glass sides revealed when the colorful metal shell rises, the only large window on the three performance halls is integrated with the exterior shell, offering views of the campus and the original Thaden House. This commemorative window appears larger from inside, softly illuminating the otherwise enclosed performance hall. The stage connects directly to the backstage area, making the performance hall a versatile, professional creative space.
Project Drawings
△ General Site Plan
△ Floor Plan
△ Floor Plan
△ Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Sectional Perspective
△ Generation Analysis Chart
△ Generation Analysis Chart
Project Information
Architect: Marlon Blackwell Architects
Area: 110,000 ft²
Year Completed: 2021
Photographer: Timothy Hursley
Location: Bentonville, United States
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