The University Hospital Medical Center in Stony Brook, NY was completed in the late 1970's, and it is a very futuristic design to say the least; Is there any information regarding what would have been the inspiration for such a radical concept? I recently viewed a 1957 science fiction movie called "KRONOS", and have to say, the similarity between the movie monster and the hospital structure can't be ignored. Could Mr. Goldberg's influences have also come from the world of science fiction?
Short look and not likely inspiration. But the question is interesting. The sources of Goldberg's inspiration were many and rarely clearly identified. he had active interests in fiction, literature, philosophy of science, and was particularly well versed in the avant-garde. Many of his projects have this mix of futuristic notions, pragmatic answers and brashness, all rolled into one. As to how and why, hard to figure.
His idea of base building and tower abovegoes all the way back to 1958, with Motel 66 (see the Art Institute site for more on this). So maybe there is something to this - although more likely, the idea of separate functioning buildings one on top of the other, was in the air at the time.