As a rule of thumb, European Modern architecture is famed for its concrete whilst North American Modern architecture is known for its steel. One of the most impressive and delightful exceptions to the rule, however, is the post-war Marina City designed by Bertrand Goldberg in 1959, which at time of completion in 1964 was both the tallest residential building and tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world. Located on the banks of the Chicago River, downtown in the Loop, Marina City comprises two identical, primarily residential, 65-storey towers adjacent to one another and occupying a full city block. Their form, with circular plan and fanned balconies, strongly resembles forms taken from nature, in particular the corncob. The project was one of the first ‘city within a city’ schemes that aimed to reinvigorate urban centres to avoid desertion to the suburbs. It was therefore designed with numerous on-site facilities including a theatre, gym, swimming pool, ice rink, bowling alley, several stores and restaurants, and a marina at its base flowing into the river. The lower 19 floors of the tower are occupied by car parking for the apartments which were rental properties until 1977. Goldberg’s Marina City had considerable influence worldwide, at Corinthian Tower in New York and no doubt at Chamberlin, Powell and Bon‘s Barbican Estate towers in London. For flats for sale or to let on the Barbican Estate, visit: The Modern House