The Entrepreneur
Bertrand Goldberg was a creative individual involved in several entrepreneurial relationships alongside his architectural practice. Separate ventures were formed to promote a specific activity, with a lifespan typically limited to the completed project.
Promotional materials for (clockwise from top) Unishelter prefabricated housing, Standard Houses Corporation, and Unicel plywood freight car
Standard Houses Corporation was formed in 1939 with fellow architect Gilmer Black, to build and develop prefabricated homes from 1939 until 1942. It was followed by Standard Fabrication, Inc. which manufactured and market prefabricated bathrooms in 1946.
From 1949 to 1953 Goldberg was a design consultant for the Pressed Steel Car Company, and developed for them the Unicel plywood boxcar, then adapted as Unishelter as an innovative housing unit. In the early 1950s Goldberg also worked with Arthur Rubloff to market privately-built public housing, resulting in Drexel Home and Gardens. A civic arena, marina and residential project was proposed for Florida, followed by Astor Tower and Marina City, where Goldberg was the architect among other roles. Throughout the 1970s, he promoted River City, and was a partner in its 1980s development.
Within his office, he established separate corporations for mechanical and electrical engineering, computerization, and reproduction services as Environmental Engineering Corp., Computer Services, Inc., and Copy Corp.
On a personal basis, Goldberg designed Chicago’s Maxim’s de Paris, a prestigous haute-cuisine restaurant owned and operated by his notable wife Nancy from 1963 until 1982.
Interior view of Maxim’s de Paris, a restaurant owned and operated by Bertrand’s wife Nancy Goldberg. Located inside Astor Tower, Maxim’s was designed as a recreation of the famous Parisian restaurant.