▁Fair - like ▁event ▁that ▁required ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁many ▁buildings . ▁Kim ball ▁and ▁Walker ▁were ▁named ▁co - arch itect s - in - ch ief ▁for ▁the ▁event . ▁The ▁two ▁men ▁were ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁overall ▁site ▁development , ▁including ▁per imeter ▁buildings . ▁They ▁designed ▁several ▁major ▁buildings , ▁some ▁smaller ▁structures ▁and ▁the ▁Arch ▁of ▁States ▁( a ▁main ▁entrance ). ▁" The ▁other ▁' name ' ▁architect s ▁who ▁were ▁there ▁did ▁a ▁main ▁building ▁and ▁nothing ▁else ," ▁B atie ▁said . ▁ ▁The ▁buildings ▁were ▁constructed ▁of ▁stri ps ▁of ▁wood ▁covered ▁with ▁staff , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁mixture ▁of ▁pl aster ▁and ▁horse h air . ▁They ▁were ▁temporary ▁by ▁design , ▁built ▁at ▁about ▁half ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁permanent ▁buildings . ▁The ▁lower ▁cost ▁allowed ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁larger ▁structures . ▁Kim ball ▁was ▁already ▁successful , ▁but ▁his ▁Ex hib ition ▁work ▁made ▁him ▁even ▁more ▁so . ▁Kim ball ▁won ▁comm issions ▁for ▁major ▁new ▁projects , ▁such ▁as ▁St . ▁Cec ilia ▁C athedral ▁and ▁the ▁Font en elle ▁Hotel ▁in ▁O ma ha , ▁and ▁the ▁Electric ity ▁Building ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁World ' s ▁Fair ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis . ▁ ▁Late ▁career ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁he ▁had ▁gained ▁trem end ous ▁stat ure ▁among ▁his ▁pe ers ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁national ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Institute ▁of ▁Arch itect s , ▁an ▁office ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 1