Torre David, a 45-story office building in Caracas, Venezuela, was constructed in the early 90s, but never completed due to the Venezuelan banking crisis of 1994. Today the building is the improvised home of more than 750 families that have established themselves there. They live in this unfinished building without elevators, but have made many modifications to their living spaces, to satisfy the needs and preferences of the community.

Alfredo Brillembourg and Hubert Klumpner, along with their Urban-Think Tank teams in Caracas and at the ETH Zurich, and in collaboration with photographer Iwan Baan, spent over a year researching the physical and social organization of this squatter community; they also collaborated with residents to devise new ways to improve the living conditions in the tower.

Their project is presented in their installation, “Torre David / Gran Horizonte,” at the 13^th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia (curator: Justin McGuirk) and was distinguished with the Golden Lion for the best project of the Common Ground exhibition. According to an official statement by the Biennale, “[t]he jury praised the architects for recognizing the power of this transformational project. An informal community created a new home and a new identity by occupying Torre David and did so with flair and conviction. This initiative can be seen as an inspirational model acknowledging the strength of informal societies.”

Opportunities for slums

The architect duo specializes in projects and research concerning the intersection of informality and formality in urban settings. For example, Brillembourg and Klumpner, along with their team at Urban-Think Tank, are currently engaged in the construction of a music school and community center in Paraisopolis, one of São Paulo’s largest favelas. In a recent interview with ETH Life Brillembourg and Klumpner stated: “there are numerous buildings worldwide, which lie in structural and financial ruin. For example: in Dubai or Detroit, and also in Jakarta or Caracas.”

In regards to Torre David, where most people see only a vertical slum, the architects found a laboratory of the informal, which can be of importance for cities worldwide. In their installation at the Biennale in Venice they emphasize opportunities for a sustainable future. The installation takes the form of a Venezuelan arepa restaurant, creating a social rather than a didactic space; the inhabitants of Torre David have created their own similar spaces, including areas for sport, commerce, and community meetings.

The International Architecture Exhibition at la Biennale di Venezia is one of the world’s most renowned and respected architecture exhibitions. The 13^th International Architecture Exhibition carries the theme Common Ground, which questions how individuals and societies make use of common space. 69 projects from 119 participants present their answers in more than 10,000 square meters.