Informal Vertical Communities : Torre David in Caracas, Venezuela

Abstract

Torre David, the third tallest building in Venezuela, stands at an impressive 45 floors in the heart of Caracas’ former central business district. In the wake of the 1994 Venezuelan banking crisis the developer passed away and the financial group supporting the construction collapsed, leaving the building abandoned and a magnet for squatters. Today it is the improvised, continually revised home for more than 750 families living as a self-organized community in what some have called a vertical slum. The project team designed interventions to improve the residents’ living conditions, reduce energy consumption and render the structure self-sufficient.

Keywords

Torre David / Vertical Community / Slum / Design Intervention

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press