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River City I, Chicago, Ilinois, Plan

A work made of zip-a-tone on paper.

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  • A work made of zip-a-tone on paper.

Date:

1975–1976

Artist:

Bertrand Goldberg
American, 1913–1997

About this artwork

Goldberg’s plan for the River City triad towers redefined high-rise living with three semi-independent communities of 750 families, organized not by individual tower, but as horizontal layers of apartment floors centered on three two-story Community-Service levels, located every 18 floors. These levels would house the primary services used daily by residents, including small shops, meeting rooms, a library, a post office, a health center, a primary school, and a day care. In order to accommodate any and all family sizes, floor plans in the residential levels were designed to offer great flexibility, with studios as well as apartments as large as four bedrooms. Like Marina City, the tower buildings were designed with 10 structural petals per floor radiating out from the service core and containing an entrance, kitchen, living room, and a semicircular balcony, with two nonstructural bedroom units between each petal. Goldberg hoped this system would support a range of different income groups and allow for modification of the floor plans over time.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Architecture and Design

Artist

Bertrand Goldberg (Architect)

Title

River City I, Chicago, Ilinois, Plan

Place

Chicago (Building address)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Designed 1972–1979

Medium

Zip-a-tone on paper

Dimensions

76 × 107 cm (30 × 42 1/8 in.)

Credit Line

The Archive of Bertrand Goldberg, gifted by his children through his estate

Reference Number

RX23664/110.45

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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