Though the early 1950s may be most notable for bringing Goldberg's more mature prefabricated structures to fruition, other developments such as his nascent use of concrete warrant equal regard. Significantly, it is in this period that Goldberg's diverse influences begin to coalesce into a cohesive architectural philosophy. Goldberg was inspired not only by the tenets of humanism and the structural rigor of the tube, but also by Mies's use of "space as almost something you can mold with your hands," as embodied in his trefoil Glass Skyscraper project for Berlin of 1922. Clad in a sheer curtain wall of glass, Goldberg was also intrigued by the project's "concept of a skin as a nonstructural coating—a container, if you will." By the mid to late 1950s, this transformation which might have begun with the Unicel freight car—predicated on the idea that "the box or the rectilinear form... was a denial... of the differences between people [and] of humanism"—began to bear fruit as seen in the non-linear forms of Pineda Island and Motel 66. The early 1960s saw Goldberg's commissions explode in both size and number, most prominently with Chicago's Marina City (see case 4) and Hillard Homes as well as with his incipient work in health care (see case 7).
- Snyder, John, Residence, Shelter Island, NY, 1952. Exterior view, [1952].
- Hilliard, Raymond, Homes; Chicago, IL, 1963-1966. Site plan, c.1964-1965.
- Bertrand Goldberg interview with Timothy Leary, from Raymond Hilliard Homes, December 10, 1965. Transcript excerpt.
- Pineda Island Recreation Center, Mobile, AL, 1956-1960. Exterior rendering, c.1958-1960.
- Motel 66, Chicago, IL, 1958. Exterior rendering, [1958].
- Helstein, Ralph, Residence, 5806 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago, IL, 1950-1951. Interior view of stairs, c.1951.
- Astor Tower Apartments, Chicago, IL, 1958-1963. "Paris in Chicago" brochure, c.1963.
- Astor Tower Apartments. Exterior view, c.1963.
- American Broadcasting Company Office Building (ABC Building), New York, NY, 1963. Model and diagram view, [1963].
- American Broadcasting Company Office Building. Interior fabric sample board, [1963].