Northwest Arkansas Community College – Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food

Firm
  • area / size 28,500 sqft
  • Completed 2018
  • Hufft was tasked with developing Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, Arkansas.

    Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food is a program affiliated with the Northwest Arkansas Community College. This project expands and transforms the culinary arts and hospitality management program for the future. Brightwater occupies approximately 28,500 sf of a larger food hub revitalization project in Bentonville, Ark, known as 8th Street Market. The complex renovation includes seven professional teaching kitchens and more than 350 pieces of equipment. Organized around a central corridor, the teaching environments include large display windows that takes the concept of demonstration to a higher level. The corridor doubles as an event space with banquette seating, cafe tables and custom high-top tables that transform into rolling bar units. The Corridor ceiling features a custom installation of 350 white dinner plates creating undulating waves. The design team also designed the wayfinding system. Inspired by modern abstractions of culinary elements, the wayfinding system further embodies the mission and vision of the program.

    Architect: Hufft
    Contractor: Nabholz Construction
    Photography: Jake Farmer