Bertrand Goldberg
The visionary architect who defied Chicago's steel-and-glass orthodoxy with sculptural concrete towers that redefined urban living.
1913–1997 (age 84)·American architect·Birthday: July 17·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bertrand Goldberg's architectural imagination was forged in the Bauhaus and a belief that design could solve social problems. Returning to his native Chicago after studying under Mies van der Rohe, he grew restless with the rigid glass box. His radical answer was Marina City, the pair of corncob-shaped towers that became an instant and enduring symbol of the city. Goldberg championed reinforced concrete, not as a mere structural tool, but as a medium for organic, curvaceous forms that could create community within a skyscraper. His work, which also included hospitals and schools, was driven by a human-centric philosophy, designing spaces that fostered interaction and efficiency. He left a skyline punctuated by poetic forms that continue to challenge conventional notions of what a tall building should be.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bertrand was born in 1913, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bertrand Was Born
The biggest hits of 1913
Bertrand's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1913Born
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Started school
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Became a teenager
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Could drive
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1931Could vote
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Turned 21
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1943Turned 30
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 40
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 50
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 60
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 70
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 80
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1997Died at 84
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
Key Achievements
- Designed and realized the landmark Marina City complex in Chicago, completed in 1964.
- Pioneered the use of slip-form construction for tall residential buildings with complex curvilinear forms.
- Created the innovative Prentice Women's Hospital in Chicago, noted for its cloverleaf floor plan and concrete shell structure.
- His work is held in the permanent collections of institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Did You Know?
He left the Bauhaus after two years because he disagreed with its increasing political radicalism.
Goldberg initially wanted to be a painter and studied at the Art Students League of New York.
He held over two dozen patents, mostly related to construction techniques and medical facility design.
“Architecture is not about space but about time.”
