Thaden Fieldhouse

Thaden Fieldhouse is an aviation center at the Bentonville Municipal Airport.

The building is home to Summit Aviation, a Fixed Base Operator and includes a flight school, café, retail store, exhibit hangar and the OZ1 club, a flying club for recreational and aspirational pilots. Located on the banks of Lake Bentonville and adjacent to the runway and airplane parking apron, the building offers 360-degree views of both the airport and the lake, creating an immersive experience for the public and pilots alike. The Fieldhouse is part of a larger master plan to restore the wetlands surrounding Lake Bentonville and increase access to outdoor recreation. The design aims to be a gateway to the Ozarks, by connecting street-side users with airfield patrons in a central space aptly named “The Gateway.” Drawing inspiration from the early days of flight in America, and celebrating the legendary career of local aviatrix Louise Thaden, the Fieldhouse embodies the barnstormer era of flight while capturing the unique rural landscape of Arkansas, as portrayed by local artist George Dombek’s “barn” series of work, 25 of which are on display in the building.