07.08.26

A Modern Barn Raising: IIDA Orange County Tours the OC Fair & Event Center

IIDA Southern California, Orange County City Center recently hosted a design tour of the OC Fair & Event Center’s new central administrative building, and about 32 people joined us to see the project firsthand! With us, we had Jerry Eldridge, the OC Fair grounds managing director, who spoke about the history of the OC Fair, the reasons the project was needed, and the overall outcome the project has provided to the OC Fair Team. Along with the LPA team who worked on the project, the sponsors (ARC/Riot, System Source, Interface) , who also served as vendors and partners, as well as all participants, were able to discuss different aspects as we toured the reimagined space.

See more photos of the event here!

The OC Fair grounds date back to the late 1800s, and LPA partnered with the Fair to expand the administrative building in a way that honors that history while looking forward. The design centers around an iconic gable roof, reimagined as a bright, elevated atrium that feels both familiar and new.

Getting to that simple, clean aesthetic took real coordination. LPA’s interdisciplinary team preserved the A-frame form while pushing for more daylight, openness, and connection to the surrounding community. Warm wood tones and honest materials tie the addition back to the fairgrounds’ agrarian roots.

The result is a new town square for the campus: a welcoming front porch that links the fairgrounds’ past to its future.