River City
A curving concrete "snake" along the river by the corncob architect.
Key facts
- Completed 1986
- Architect: Bertrand Goldberg
- Same architect as Marina City
- Serpentine, S-curved concrete form
- Built around a private indoor marina
Narration transcript
Coming up on your right is a very unusual, curvy concrete building called River City, and if it reminds you of the corncob towers we saw earlier, that is no accident. It was designed by the same imaginative architect, Bertrand Goldberg, and completed in 1986. Instead of building tall round towers this time, Goldberg went low and long, creating a swooping, S-shaped building that curves along the riverbank like a giant concrete snake or a ribbon. Goldberg did not believe in boring right angles and straight lines. He loved flowing, organic curves that he felt were friendlier for the people living inside. River City was another one of his cities within a city, with apartments, shops, and even a private marina tucked right inside, where residents could dock their boats. Its rounded windows and curving balconies give it a soft, wave-like feel that is totally different from the sharp glass boxes downtown. Family tip: see if the kids can spot how the whole building bends and curves like a river itself, then compare it to the round corncobs of Marina City. Same architect, two very different but equally playful ideas.