At almost 52 years since it was completed, Chicago’s Marina City Complex — designed by Bertrand Goldberg — has been declared an official architectural landmark. This comes after a 48-0 vote by the City Council, and now the complex of buildings will be given their official designation nine days from now on March 16, according to a report from The Architect Magazine.
For the last few decades, despite widespread public support, Chicago experienced a succession of mayors disinterested in giving the Marina City Complex landmark designation. Many feel that the push for this complex’s recognition came after the failed attempt to give landmark designation Goldberg’s other Brutalist building, the Prentice Women’s Hospital, leading to its subsequent demolition. It was shortly after this when Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Alderman Brendan Reilly pushed forward to preserve the Marina City buildings.
After a series of inside dealings, a final public hearing in Chicago resulted in the announcement that the Marina City Complex would receive landmark designation, and, according to The Architect Magazine that meeting only took record 41 minutes.
[Thanks The Architect Magazine]
