Fair Park Fitzhugh Parking Structure

A revision was issued to the masterplan of Fair Park, a registered National Historic Landmark that’s home to the Texas State Fair and a variety of cultural institutions. The updated Fair Park masterplan includes a 14-acre community park and a parking garage to capture displaced surface parking. In 1969, the land was taken through eminent domain to make room for surface parking for the Texas State Fair, resulting in community displacement. The impact of this decision is still felt today. The initiation of Fair Park’s new community park and public garage attempts to address the wrongs of the past.

Gensler’s design approach makes the garage an extension of the community park by extending it and leveraging the building’s height as an asset. The garage responds to the regional, historical, and social context to create a connected experience that resonates with users. The project also draws inspiration from natural forms and integrates nature in a transformative way that makes the parking garage feel like a part of the surrounding landscape.