Marina City, Chicago

Architect Bertrand Goldberg clearly had a soft spot for curves—corners just weren’t his thing. His vision came to life in these two delightfully odd towers that locals lovingly (or sarcastically) call "the corncobs." But Goldberg insisted they were sunflowers—each curved balcony a petal unfurling toward the skyline. And just like that, he gave the stiff, boxy International Style of the 1950s a cheeky little poke in the eye.

At a time when most city folks were heading for the land of white picket fences and two-car garages, Goldberg and the Building Service Employees International Union took a bold guess: not everyone wanted suburbia. Especially not the single, the childless, or the workplace-adjacent. Turns out they were right. The complex took root, made waves, and soon became one of the most photographed architectural oddballs in the Windy City.

But Goldberg didn’t stop at funky balconies. To lure people into what was then a gritty, rail-heavy part of town, he went full visionary. Picture this: a theater, a skating rink, a bowling alley, a pool, a marina, offices, a restaurant, shops, even a health club—all under one roof, or at least in one cluster of concrete. The slogan—“A city within a city”—was a not-so-subtle jab at the suburbs, where nightlife meant folding laundry...

Built between 1964 and 1968, the towers are still going strong, filled with condos that offer jaw-dropping views and, let’s be honest, some real furniture-arrangement challenges. The first 19 floors are virtually “spiral parking garages” you either love or fear. Today, the complex is home to six restaurants, Hotel Chicago, the House of Blues, and yes, its very own marina.

Basically, these are not corncobs. They are concrete sunflowers that party in the middle of the urban jungle!