Marina City, Chicago
Architect Bertrand Goldberg, clearly a fan of curves over corners, brought his artistic flair to life in these quirky residential towers. Some folks say they resemble corncobs, but Goldberg, with his artistic flair, fancied them as sunflowers鈥攅ach apartment's curved balcony resembling a petal. This design gave the rigid International Style a run for its money, challenging the high-rise norm that dominated architectural trends in the 1950s.
In an era when many urban workers were flocking to the suburbs, Goldberg and his client, the Building Service Employees International Union, had a hunch. They believed that city-dwellers, especially singles and the childless, still wanted proximity to their workplaces in the Loop. Their gamble paid off handsomely, and this complex became a trailblazer for similar projects sprouting up around the Loop. Plus, it spent plenty of time in the Windy City limelight as one of the most snapped buildings.
To make urban living in a previously railroad-centric area appealing, Goldberg thought outside the box. He threw in shops, a restaurant, a health center, a pool, a skating rink, an exhibition space, a theater, a marina, a bowling alley, and even an office tower. It was marketed as a "city within a city", offering "24-hour urban living", slyly contrasting suburban life, where commuters only used their homes for snoozing.
Built between 1964 and 1968, these towers still house condominiums with spectacular views (although their unique shape poses some interior decorating puzzles). Oh, and don't forget about the first 19 stories of each tower鈥攖he open spiral parking garages. The complex also houses six restaurants, as well as the House of Blues, Hotel Chicago, a sprawling bowling alley, and even its own marina. It's like a sunflower in the middle of the urban jungle!
In an era when many urban workers were flocking to the suburbs, Goldberg and his client, the Building Service Employees International Union, had a hunch. They believed that city-dwellers, especially singles and the childless, still wanted proximity to their workplaces in the Loop. Their gamble paid off handsomely, and this complex became a trailblazer for similar projects sprouting up around the Loop. Plus, it spent plenty of time in the Windy City limelight as one of the most snapped buildings.
To make urban living in a previously railroad-centric area appealing, Goldberg thought outside the box. He threw in shops, a restaurant, a health center, a pool, a skating rink, an exhibition space, a theater, a marina, a bowling alley, and even an office tower. It was marketed as a "city within a city", offering "24-hour urban living", slyly contrasting suburban life, where commuters only used their homes for snoozing.
Built between 1964 and 1968, these towers still house condominiums with spectacular views (although their unique shape poses some interior decorating puzzles). Oh, and don't forget about the first 19 stories of each tower鈥攖he open spiral parking garages. The complex also houses six restaurants, as well as the House of Blues, Hotel Chicago, a sprawling bowling alley, and even its own marina. It's like a sunflower in the middle of the urban jungle!
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Marina City on Map
Sight Name: Marina City
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Chicago, Illinois
Create Your Own Walk in Chicago
Creating your own self-guided walk in Chicago is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Chicago Old Town Walking Tour
Settled in 1850 by German immigrants, Chicago鈥檚 Old Town neighborhood is a popular destination for locals and visitors who cater to the entertainment venues, restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and boutiques 鈥� all of which have turned an area once referred to as the 鈥淐abbage Patch鈥� into an attraction that rivals Navy Pier, Wrigley Field and the Magnificent Mile.
Start your Old Town walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Start your Old Town walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture Tour in Oak Park
Oak Park, located in Cook County, Illinois, just outside Chicago, made history in 1889 when Frank Lloyd Wright, one of America's most renowned architects, and his wife settled there, leaving a profound impact on the area's appearance. This village boasts the highest concentration of Wright-crafted buildings in the world - over a dozen! - making it a pivotal destination for enthusiasts to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Chicago Chinatown Walking Tour
Tucked away just south of the Loop, the Chinatown of Chicago was established in 1912 and is considered one of the best examples of American Chinatown. While it may be one of Chicago鈥檚 smallest neighborhoods geographically, it is big on character, colors, sights, sounds, and flavors. Here, you鈥檒l find a wide range of unique boutiques, specialty shops, religious sights, authentic Chinese... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
The Magnificent Mile Walking Tour
The stretch of Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Lake Shore Drive, otherwise known as the Magnificent Mile, is regarded as one of the world鈥檚 great avenues 鈥� or Chicago鈥檚 version of Fifth Avenue. Take this self-guided walk to explore its whole stretch and surrounding area, featuring a wide selection of amazing stores/malls, world-known museums, restaurants and spectacular... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Chicago Introduction Walking Tour
Chicago, perched on the shores of Lake Michigan in Illinois, is a city steeped in history and urban vibrancy. Known by numerous nicknames such as the Windy City and the City of Big Shoulders, it boasts a skyline marked by towering structures. The area of today's Chicago, initially inhabited by Native American tribes, saw its first European-settled reference as "Chicagou" in 1679, a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Loop District Architecture Walking Tour
Chicago features an outstanding architectural legacy, having long been connected with some of architecture's most important names: Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, Holabird & Root, and others. The multi-layered Loop District, in particular, offers an extensive number of Chicago鈥檚 famous architectural 鈥渕ust-sees鈥� 鈥� from modern skyscrapers to historic buildings... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Chicago Souvenirs: 15 Distinct Local Products to Bring Home
One of the most fascinating cities in the U.S., if not the whole world, Chicago has no shortage of things closely associated with it, often due to their direct origin (blues, gangstership, etc.), so one might literally be spoiled for choice as to what to choose as a "piece" of Chicago to...