Fair Park — Food & Fiber Building

Designed by George Dahl as a temporary exhibit hall for the 1936 Texas Centennial, the building now known as Food & Fiber was originally designated the Poultry Building. Part of the collection of Art Deco exhibit buildings in Fair Park, Food & Fiber is listed as a contributing structure in the Fair Park National Register Historic District. Over the decades, the building experienced several unsympathetic additions, renovations, and deletions, leading to significant disrepair by 1996.

GFF undertook the rehabilitation project for the Food & Fiber Pavilion in two phases. Phase One focused on structural stabilization, replacing the roof, and updating mechanical and electrical systems. Phase Two addressed the exterior, repairing plaster, restoring clerestory windows, and reinstating the original color scheme with 27 historic colors. Additionally, this phase included removing later additions and reconstructing missing elements such as aviary trellises and neon accents. Four Centennial murals by Carlo Ciampaglia, which had been painted over for 50 years, were also conserved and restored using original construction drawings and historic photographs to ensure accuracy.

Today, the Food & Fiber Pavilion continues to be a prominent venue in Fair Park, hosting various events and exhibitions throughout the year. The restoration not only preserved its historical integrity but also enhanced its functionality and aesthetic appeal for modern use.