the Momentary

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art expanded its appeal by creating a “younger, grittier sister” in an abandoned cheese factory just south of downtown Bentonville. The design retained elements of the existing building and site wherever feasible while introducing elevated finishes to enhance the visitor experience.

The site is organized with major axis walks that draw visitors from parking areas and trails to the museum’s venues. These 16-foot-wide concrete walks, accented with two-foot colored bands and weathering steel strips, help define outdoor “rooms” that provide flexible spaces for events and programming.

Stormwater from parking lots and roof drains is collected in naturalistic bioswales and rain gardens before returning to Town Branch Creek. Reinforced and compacted granite trails for walking and biking meander along berms and bioswales, guiding visitors while framing views toward plaza areas and a large festival lawn capable of seating over 4,000 people. These granite pathways also accommodate fire access and food trucks during events.

Thoughtful, naturalistic plantings enhance the industrial character of the site, evoking the sense of an abandoned factory being reclaimed by nature, and connect the museum’s architecture with the surrounding landscape.

photography: ©Timothy Hurlsey