AWSOM Whole Health Campus breaks ground in Bentonville, Arkansas

The groundbreaking signals the start of construction on the Center for Advanced Specialty Care, the first building on the 120+ acre campus. Planned to open in 2029, the 709,000-square-foot facility will significantly expand access to specialty and virtual care with specialties including extensive cardiac care, in partnership with Cleveland Clinic, as well as cancer, orthopedics and neurology. 

“Today marks an important step toward realizing a vision that has been years in the making,” said Alice Walton, founder and philanthropist. “Through prioritizing a whole-health focus and bringing together excellent partners, we’re creating a health care destination for our region, the Heartland and beyond.”

The AWSOM Whole Health Campus will bring together advanced specialty care, whole person health and community in an environment designed to support well-being through nature, art, architecture and evidence-based design. It’s the latest investment by the Alice L. Walton Foundation and Mercy to position Northwest Arkansas as a destination for leading-edge care and a national example of innovative health care delivery. 

"When we started creating the campus plan, we didn't want a series of clinical buildings stitched together by parking lots," added Mehrdad. "Instead, we looked to the landscape itself. The limestone bluffs, the tree canopy, the way light moves through the Ozarks all shaped a campus that feels like it belongs to this place. Art is part of that story too, woven through courtyards and walking paths to enhance the campus experience."

PJ Glasco, project executive and central region health market leader at CannonDesign, adds, “The goal was for the architecture to function as an integrated environment where design actively supports whole-person health rather than just housing it. It's an incredible opportunity to design at this scale, and we're proud to be connecting more people to advanced care closer to home and addressing rural health care needs.” 

The campus is deeply connected to its natural surroundings, with architecture that blends seamlessly into the landscape through the use of natural materials including wood, stone and glass. EDSA is leading the landscape design strategy, complete with gardens, courtyards, trails, water features and restored natural areas that will create a welcoming environment that encourages exploration, relaxation and connection.  

"This is a defining moment for Northwest Arkansas and the Heartland," said Steve Mackin, Mercy President and CEO. "People deserve access to world-class specialty care close to home. Together with Alice and her team, we're building something unique, bringing leading-edge care, innovation and whole-person health to the heart of America, while simultaneously addressing some of health care's biggest problems." 

In addition to CannonDesign, Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign and EDSA, other key design and construction partners include local architect Polk Stanley Wilcox, Civil Engineer Walter P. Moore and construction managers Nabholz and Flintco.