In light of the extensive demolition that has already taken place at Bertrand Goldberg’s Prentice Women’s Hospital in downtown Chicago, we present to you this short film that examines the hospital’s preservation battle and poses the question, “Who determines the future of the past?”
As we confirmed earlier this year, the unique 1975 brutalist building was condemned to the wrecking ball in exchange for future plans of a medical research building for Northwestern University. Though an overwhelming number of architects and preservationist joined the fight to save the concrete cloverleaf, Chicago’s mayor eventually backed the developers with the belief that Goldberg’s “vision is alive in Chicago beyond one building” and allowing Northwestern to build the new medical center is crucial in keeping Chicago at the forefront of scientific innovation.
Directed by journalist and Northwestern alumnus Nathan Eddy, the film made its world premiere at the Durban Film Festival in South Africa and subsequently screened at the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam and the Architecture & Design Film Festival in New York.
