In 1993, Venezuelan businessman David Brillembourg died leaving behind him an unfinished skyscraper intended to be the third highest building in Caracas. The building’s official title is Edificio Confinanzas but it is better known as David’s Tower. After Brillembourg’s death his business went to the wall and the building lay empty for 14 years.
Venezuela has a huge problem with shortage of living accommodation, many thousands of people are homeless not only due to poverty but also as a result of frequent floods.
In 2007, local families in Caracas, desperate for a place to live, began to move into the giant skyscraper. Now c. 2,500 people live as squatters in this building.
Surely if there is something we all deserve to ‘occupy’ it has to be living space?
Have a look at this fantastic series of photographs from Foreign Policy here –
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/06/inside_davids_tower
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I wonder what life is like in that building?
I imagine it’s hard but easier than living on the street.
They even have stores set up inside. Amazing.
Human societies are so emergent it is remarkable, isn’t it?
This reminds me of the homeless occupying the closed-down King Edward Hotel in downtown Jackson, MS, right on Capitol Street, next to the overhead railroad bridges. Now this is in a city known all over North America as the best center for services to the homeless, featuring among other outreach programs the Stewpot Community Ministries administered out of St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral in further up Capitol Street, right across from the governor’s mansion! Here is another Mississippi/Episcopalian tidbit for you: guess what denomination the prosecutor that finally brought down Byron de la Beckwith for the murder of Medgar Evers is extremely active in? Bingo, you get the gold ring! “Faith based” in Mississippi was there way before tax breaks were thought of!
How interesting I didn’t know any of that – thanks.
That is amazing. I see electrical…I wonder what the plumbing is? And I wonder about the dynamics of the community too? There must be articles or books written about the community…do you know of any?
No – I had a Google but found almost nothing – let me know if you find anything, I would like to know more.
About time it go officially converted to a residential building too… Would do more good. 🙂
I tend to agree.
From before birth and on to afterlife: We always need shelter!
How true!