Tower of David by Iwan Baan

Life in the Largest Vertical Slum in the World

Photos by Iwan Baan

For almost 20 years in the center of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, stands an unfinished 45-story skyscraper, known as the Tower of David (Torre de David). Unfortunately, the building was plagued with misfortune since early construction. First the developer died, then with the nation's failed economy and banking system, the building construction has gone unfinished ever since. What was supposed to be the third-highest skyscraper in Venezuela is now the largest vertical slum in the world.

Over the past 8 years, people have begun inhabiting the unfinished building, and is currently holding about 750 families, establishing it's own self-contained community. Besides the many apartments in the tower, it also has shops, grocery stores and other services on each floor, even a church and a common gym on the roof. However, plagued with poverty and government neglect, many hazards have fatally injured residents, plumbing and electrical services are poor, and running water only reaches the fifth floor, leaving most of the lower levels smelling like sewage. Aside from all of this, the building is also known as a base of operations for Criminal gangs. The building's general manager, Elvin Marchan, has even admitted, "if someone caused problems, pushing them off a higher story or shooting them would have been the way of dealing with it." There is no question that this is one of the largest slums in the world and an example of the kind of life that most people here in Caracas, a city reported to have the highest per capita murder rate in the world.

Photographer and urban documentarian Iwan Baan, was able to capture captivating images of life inside the unfinished tower, as he continues to travel the world capturing the relation of people to the architecture and structures they inhabit. Besides his pictures of the Tower of David below, he participated in a TED Talks conference where he shares more of his findings.

[Via Policy Mic]