Marina City - Corn Cob Towers

Stop on Historic Chicago Loop Walking Tour, a free self-guided tour.

Walk west along the river to Marina City, the distinctive twin 65-story towers designed by Bertrand Goldberg and completed in 1964. Nicknamed the corn cob buildings for their unique scalloped balconies, these cylindrical concrete towers revolutionized urban living. Goldberg designed them as a city within a city to counteract suburban flight, including apartments, offices, a theater, restaurants, a marina, and parking. The lower 19 floors house spiral parking ramps visible from outside. The exposed parking was a groundbreaking design choice eliminating separate garage structures. The towers were the tallest residential buildings and tallest concrete structures in the world when built. The complex appears in numerous films including The Dark Knight and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The cylindrical form maximized views while minimizing structural costs. Marina City represents 1960s optimism about urban renewal and high-density living. The buildings pioneered mixed-use development decades before it became common. The concrete construction showcased new engineering techniques. These iconic towers demonstrate Chicago's continued architectural innovation beyond the early skyscraper era, proving the city remained at the forefront of urban design in the mid-20th century.