Fair to Midland / Midland, TX

Fair to Midland set out to make a unique contribution to the limited hospitality offerings in its West Texas hometown of Midland. Occupying a 1-acre site the playful destination, which was loosely inspired by a state fair theme, includes a restaurant, two bars, shaded patio, games barn and speakeasy.  The 12,000sf project is designed as a courtyard compound so that upon entry, visitors are immersed in a world apart from the banal surroundings of fast-food restaurants and chain hotels. The enclosed programs are arranged around a patio planted with five new live oak trees and anchored by a salvaged windmill and 20’ tall ‘silo slide’ that was custom made for the project. The agricultural references are carried through in the barn-like structures with their exposed oil-pipe trusses and rough cedar cladding. Behind a secret door in the restaurant, a passageway leads to an opulent speakeasy bar, where rich, dark textures and ornate detailing contrast with the rustic, colorful palette of the rest of the venue.