Overview

Marina City is a mixed-use development on the north bank of the Chicago River near the city's central business district. Conceived in the late 1950s and completed in the mid-1960s, the project was intended as a model for urban living that would draw people back into downtown Chicago. Its two cylindrical towers and surrounding podium were designed to house a mix of apartments, parking, retail and recreational facilities in a compact waterfront site.

Design and structure

Architect Bertrand Goldberg gave Marina City a highly recognizable profile through the use of reinforced concrete and circular floor plans. Each residential tower rises above a multi-level parking base; the lower floors are largely devoted to parking with apartments stacked above. The apartment floors feature petal-like, cantilevered balconies that create the complex’s familiar "corncob" silhouette and provide private outdoor space for residents. The configuration emphasizes vertical circulation and exposed concrete forms rather than a conventional rectilinear tower block.

Facilities and program

Marina City was planned as a "city within a city," combining living, working and leisure functions on the same site. Original and subsequent occupants have used the complex for a variety of purposes, including residential condominiums and rental units, structured parking, retail shops and restaurants. The development also included recreational amenities and cultural facilities such as a theater, fitness areas, and a marina on the riverfront. Its mixed program aimed to reduce dependence on automobiles for everyday needs while activating the river edge.

History and purpose

The project was initiated during a period of downtown decline when many people and businesses were leaving central cities. Goldberg and his collaborators proposed Marina City as a strategy for urban renewal: by putting housing, services and entertainment close to jobs and transit, the complex sought to reverse population loss and reinvigorate the Loop. Financing for the project came from a combination of private investors and institutional sources; its construction in the early 1960s represented an ambitious application of emerging reinforced-concrete techniques for tall buildings.

Legacy and significance

Marina City quickly became an icon of modern Chicago architecture. Its unusual form, prominent riverside location and mixed-use program attracted attention from architects, planners and the public. At the time it opened, the towers were notable examples of tall residential construction using reinforced concrete. Over the decades the complex has remained a visible element of the Chicago skyline and a touchstone in discussions about urban design, mixed-use development, and the role of architecture in city revitalization.

Notable aspects

  • Distinctive circular towers with scalloped balconies that earned the complex the nickname "corncobs."
  • Combination of structured parking beneath residential floors, with vehicular access integrated into the base.
  • Designed as a multifunctional urban cluster to encourage downtown residency and activity.
  • Frequent subject of photography and architectural study as an example of mid-20th-century modernist experimentation.