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Centro Financiero Confinanzas

March 27, 2023

Centro Financiero Confinanzas (English: Confinanzas Financial Center), also known as Torre de David (the Tower of David), is an unfinished abandoned skyscraper in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. It is the third highest skyscraper in the country after the twin towers of Parque Central Complex. The construction of the tower began in 1990 but was halted in 1994 due to the Venezuelan banking crisis. As of 2018, the building remains incomplete and unused. It was damaged due to two earthquakes on 21 and 22 August 2018.[1]

Centro Financiero Confinanzas
Centro Financiero Confinanzas, incomplete in 2017
General information
StatusIncomplete
TypeOffice
Hotel
Aparthotel
LocationCaracas, Venezuela
Construction started1990
Construction stopped1994
Estimated completion1994
OwnerCorpolago C. A.
Height
Roof171 m (561 ft)
Technical details
Floor count45
Floor area121,741 m2 (1,310,410 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Enrique Gómez and Associates.
DeveloperJ. David Brillembourg.
Structural engineerBrewer and Brewer Engineers S.C.

History

Construction and banking crisis

This tower in downtown Caracas is nicknamed "Torre de David" after David Brillembourg, the tower's main investor who died from cancer in 1993. During the banking crisis of 1994, the government took control of the building and it has not been completed since. The building lacks elevators, installed electricity, running water, balcony railing, windows, and even walls in many places.[2] The complex has six buildings: El Atrio (Lobby and conference room), Torre A that is 171m tall and stands at 45-stories still includes a heliport, Torre B, Edificio K, Edificio Z, and 12 floors of parking.

In 2001, the Venezuelan government made an attempt to auction off the complex, but no one made an offer.[3]

Residence by squatters

 
Exterior of Centro Financiero Confinanzas (Torre de David) in December 2013.

In the 2000s and 2010s, Caracas suffered from a housing shortage, with shortages amounting to about 400,000 Caracas homes in 2011. Construction of homes halted in Venezuela due to the fears of expropriations that occurred under the Bolivarian government while the government was also unable to build enough homes for Venezuelans. Citizens of Caracas soon began to occupy buildings surrounding the complex.[2]

The housing shortage led to occupation of the complex by squatters led by ex-convicts in October 2007, with over 200 families, representing about 40% of Caracas's "informal communities", taking over the center.[2][3][4] Residents improvised basic utility services, with water reaching all the way up to the 22nd floor.[4] They could use motorcycles to travel up and down the first 10 floors, but had to use the stairs for the remaining levels.[4] The residents lived up to the 28th floor, with many bodegas,[2] barbershops, beauty salons, and even an unlicensed dentist[2] also operating in the building. Some residents even had cars, parked inside of the building's parking garage.[2][5][6][7]

The population grew to seven hundred families made of over 2,500 residents living in the tower by 2011[5][6] and had a peak population of 5,000 squatters.[3]

Relocation

On 22 July 2014, the Venezuelan government launched so-called "Operation Zamora 2014" to evacuate hundreds of families from the tower and relocate them into new homes in Cúa, south of Caracas, as part of its Great Housing Mission project.[8][9][10][11] By June 2015, all of the residents were relocated to their new homes.[3] Some of the government-provided homes designated for relocated tower residents were already occupied by squatters who had taken over the government facilities.[3]

Possible future

 
The tower in 2014 draped with Bolivarian propaganda banners saying "Chávez Lives"

Alfredo Brillembourg, relative of the late David Brillembourg who was a main investor of the tower, founded Urban Think Tank, which seeks to bring international attention to developing "informal settlements".[6] The group made a documentary on how to make potential improvements with the complex which won a Golden Lion at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale of the Venice Biennale.[3]

After relocation had proceeded in July 2014, newspaper Tal Cual reported that Chinese banks were interested in buying the tower and renovating it for its original use.[10][12] On July 23, 2014, President Nicolás Maduro announced that the government had not yet decided what to do with the building, but was considering at least three possible options: "Some are proposing its demolition. Others are proposing turning it into an economic, commercial or financial center. Some are proposing building homes there. ...We're going to open a debate."[13][14] In April 2015, the head of the government of the Capital District, Ernesto Villegas, announced that the tower would be used temporarily as a center for emergency care. Villegas indicated that members of the National Guard, Fire Department, and officials from the Directorate of Civil Protection would be installed in the building to serve the public.[15]

However, in April 2016, it was reported that the Chinese bank proposal fell through and that the tower was not in use.[3] Since then, the tower has remained incomplete.

On 21 August 2018, the tower was significantly damaged by an earthquake which caused the partial collapse of the top five floors, resulting in the affected portion leaning outward by 25 degrees.[16]

In popular culture

  • Torre David, a documentary by Urban Think Tank, won a Golden Lion at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale.[3]
  • In 2013, the Torre de David was featured by Photographer Iwan Baan in a TED Talk presentation at TEDCity2.0 entitled "Ingenious homes in unexpected places"
  • In 2013, the book Torre David: Informal Vertical Communities, a study of the tower, was released.[6]
  • "Tower of David", a 2013 episode of the US television drama Homeland, was set in the building (but filmed in Puerto Rico).[17]
  • In May 2014, the tower was featured in the BBC World News documentary, Our World.[18][19]
  • The novel Damnificados by JJ Amaworo Wilson (son of author David Henry Wilson),[20] published by PM Press in 2016, is based on the occupation of the Tower of David.[21]
  • "Ruina" The feature documentary about internal life and organization of Torre David

See also

References

  1. ^ "Strong earthquake rocks Venezuela, felt as far away as Colombia's capital". CTVNews. 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Romero, Simon; María Eugenia Díaz (1 March 2011). "CARACAS JOURNAL; In Venezuela Housing Crisis, Squatters Find 45-Story Walkup". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Berg, Nate (24 April 2016). "Inside The Tower of David, Venezuela's Vertical Slum". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Mead, Derek. . Vice. Archived from the original on 2014-02-19. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  5. ^ a b Grant, Will (18 December 2010). "Venezuelan squatters bank on the future in office tower". BBC Online. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d "Anywhere but Here: Deserted Banking Empire turned Skyscraper Slum". MessyNessyChic. 2013-05-07. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  7. ^ . Vocativ. 2013-08-01. Archived from the original on 2013-08-07. Retrieved 2013-08-09.
  8. ^ Noticias24, Redaccion (2014-07-21). . Noticias24 (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2014-07-24. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  9. ^ Lopez, Virginia (23 July 2014). "Caracas's Tower of David squatters finally face relocation after eight years". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  10. ^ a b Cawthorne, Andrew (22 July 2014). "Venezuela moves squatters from 'Tower of David' slum". Reuters. from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Venezuela Tower of David squatters evicted". BBC. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  12. ^ . talcualdigital.com (in Spanish). 2014-07-08. Archived from the original on 2014-07-23. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
  13. ^ "Venezuela's world-famous 'vertical slum' may be demolished". Reuters. 2014-07-23. from the original on 2014-07-24. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
  14. ^ . el-nacional.com (in Spanish). 2014-07-23. Archived from the original on 2014-07-24. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
  15. ^ "Prevén usar Torre Confinanzas como centro de atención de emergencia". El Universal. El Universal. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  16. ^ "Ministro Reverol informó que la "Torre de David" sufrió una inclinación de 25 grados en sus últimos cinco pisos". La Patilla (in European Spanish). 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  17. ^ "Homeland" Tower of David (TV Episode 2013) - IMDb
  18. ^ "BBC - Programmes". BBC. Retrieved 2015-08-30.
  19. ^ "Venezuela's Tower of David - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 2015-08-30.
  20. ^ "An Interview with David Henry Wilson". Alma Books. 2016-11-14. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  21. ^ . PM Press. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2017.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Centro Financiero Confinanzas.
  • Torre David – a documentary film about Centro Financiero Confinanzas.
  • Short documentary about residents of the Centro Financiero Confinanzas
  • Squatters in Venezuela's 45-Story 'Tower of David', photo documentation.

Coordinates: 10°30′19″N 66°53′56″W / 10.50528°N 66.89889°W / 10.50528; -66.89889

March 27, 2023
centro, financiero, confinanzas, english, confinanzas, financial, center, also, known, torre, david, tower, david, unfinished, abandoned, skyscraper, caracas, capital, venezuela, third, highest, skyscraper, country, after, twin, towers, parque, central, comple. Centro Financiero Confinanzas English Confinanzas Financial Center also known as Torre de David the Tower of David is an unfinished abandoned skyscraper in Caracas the capital of Venezuela It is the third highest skyscraper in the country after the twin towers of Parque Central Complex The construction of the tower began in 1990 but was halted in 1994 due to the Venezuelan banking crisis As of 2018 the building remains incomplete and unused It was damaged due to two earthquakes on 21 and 22 August 2018 1 Centro Financiero ConfinanzasCentro Financiero Confinanzas incomplete in 2017General informationStatusIncompleteTypeOfficeHotelAparthotelLocationCaracas VenezuelaConstruction started1990Construction stopped1994Estimated completion1994OwnerCorpolago C A HeightRoof171 m 561 ft Technical detailsFloor count45Floor area121 741 m2 1 310 410 sq ft Design and constructionArchitect s Enrique Gomez and Associates DeveloperJ David Brillembourg Structural engineerBrewer and Brewer Engineers S C Contents 1 History 1 1 Construction and banking crisis 1 2 Residence by squatters 1 3 Relocation 1 4 Possible future 2 In popular culture 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditConstruction and banking crisis Edit This tower in downtown Caracas is nicknamed Torre de David after David Brillembourg the tower s main investor who died from cancer in 1993 During the banking crisis of 1994 the government took control of the building and it has not been completed since The building lacks elevators installed electricity running water balcony railing windows and even walls in many places 2 The complex has six buildings El Atrio Lobby and conference room Torre A that is 171m tall and stands at 45 stories still includes a heliport Torre B Edificio K Edificio Z and 12 floors of parking In 2001 the Venezuelan government made an attempt to auction off the complex but no one made an offer 3 Residence by squatters Edit Exterior of Centro Financiero Confinanzas Torre de David in December 2013 In the 2000s and 2010s Caracas suffered from a housing shortage with shortages amounting to about 400 000 Caracas homes in 2011 Construction of homes halted in Venezuela due to the fears of expropriations that occurred under the Bolivarian government while the government was also unable to build enough homes for Venezuelans Citizens of Caracas soon began to occupy buildings surrounding the complex 2 The housing shortage led to occupation of the complex by squatters led by ex convicts in October 2007 with over 200 families representing about 40 of Caracas s informal communities taking over the center 2 3 4 Residents improvised basic utility services with water reaching all the way up to the 22nd floor 4 They could use motorcycles to travel up and down the first 10 floors but had to use the stairs for the remaining levels 4 The residents lived up to the 28th floor with many bodegas 2 barbershops beauty salons and even an unlicensed dentist 2 also operating in the building Some residents even had cars parked inside of the building s parking garage 2 5 6 7 The population grew to seven hundred families made of over 2 500 residents living in the tower by 2011 5 6 and had a peak population of 5 000 squatters 3 Relocation Edit On 22 July 2014 the Venezuelan government launched so called Operation Zamora 2014 to evacuate hundreds of families from the tower and relocate them into new homes in Cua south of Caracas as part of its Great Housing Mission project 8 9 10 11 By June 2015 all of the residents were relocated to their new homes 3 Some of the government provided homes designated for relocated tower residents were already occupied by squatters who had taken over the government facilities 3 Possible future Edit The tower in 2014 draped with Bolivarian propaganda banners saying Chavez Lives Alfredo Brillembourg relative of the late David Brillembourg who was a main investor of the tower founded Urban Think Tank which seeks to bring international attention to developing informal settlements 6 The group made a documentary on how to make potential improvements with the complex which won a Golden Lion at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale of the Venice Biennale 3 After relocation had proceeded in July 2014 newspaper Tal Cual reported that Chinese banks were interested in buying the tower and renovating it for its original use 10 12 On July 23 2014 President Nicolas Maduro announced that the government had not yet decided what to do with the building but was considering at least three possible options Some are proposing its demolition Others are proposing turning it into an economic commercial or financial center Some are proposing building homes there We re going to open a debate 13 14 In April 2015 the head of the government of the Capital District Ernesto Villegas announced that the tower would be used temporarily as a center for emergency care Villegas indicated that members of the National Guard Fire Department and officials from the Directorate of Civil Protection would be installed in the building to serve the public 15 However in April 2016 it was reported that the Chinese bank proposal fell through and that the tower was not in use 3 Since then the tower has remained incomplete On 21 August 2018 the tower was significantly damaged by an earthquake which caused the partial collapse of the top five floors resulting in the affected portion leaning outward by 25 degrees 16 In popular culture EditTorre David a documentary by Urban Think Tank won a Golden Lion at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale 3 In 2013 the Torre de David was featured by Photographer Iwan Baan in a TED Talk presentation at TEDCity2 0 entitled Ingenious homes in unexpected places In 2013 the book Torre David Informal Vertical Communities a study of the tower was released 6 Tower of David a 2013 episode of the US television drama Homeland was set in the building but filmed in Puerto Rico 17 In May 2014 the tower was featured in the BBC World News documentary Our World 18 19 The novel Damnificados by JJ Amaworo Wilson son of author David Henry Wilson 20 published by PM Press in 2016 is based on the occupation of the Tower of David 21 Ruina The feature documentary about internal life and organization of Torre DavidSee also EditList of tallest buildings in Venezuela List of tallest buildings in South America Kowloon Walled City A series of makeshift buildings populated in a similar manner Ponte City Apartments Ryugyong HotelReferences Edit Strong earthquake rocks Venezuela felt as far away as Colombia s capital CTVNews 2018 08 21 Retrieved 2018 08 22 a b c d e f Romero Simon Maria Eugenia Diaz 1 March 2011 CARACAS JOURNAL In Venezuela Housing Crisis Squatters Find 45 Story Walkup The New York Times Retrieved 3 March 2011 a b c d e f g h Berg Nate 24 April 2016 Inside The Tower of David Venezuela s Vertical Slum The Daily Beast Retrieved 24 April 2016 a b c Mead Derek Inside Caracas Tower of David the World s Tallest Slum Vice Archived from the original on 2014 02 19 Retrieved 25 January 2014 a b Grant Will 18 December 2010 Venezuelan squatters bank on the future in office tower BBC Online Retrieved 3 March 2011 a b c d Anywhere but Here Deserted Banking Empire turned Skyscraper Slum MessyNessyChic 2013 05 07 Retrieved 24 April 2016 The world s tallest slum Rare look at an illegal ghetto in the sky Vocativ 2013 08 01 Archived from the original on 2013 08 07 Retrieved 2013 08 09 Noticias24 Redaccion 2014 07 21 Reubican a 77 familias que habitaban en la Torre de David Esta es la patria que promueve Maduro Noticias24 in Spanish Archived from the original on 2014 07 24 Retrieved 2014 07 23 Lopez Virginia 23 July 2014 Caracas s Tower of David squatters finally face relocation after eight years The Guardian Retrieved 2014 07 23 a b Cawthorne Andrew 22 July 2014 Venezuela moves squatters from Tower of David slum Reuters Archived from the original on 24 September 2015 Retrieved 22 July 2014 Venezuela Tower of David squatters evicted BBC 22 July 2014 Retrieved 22 July 2014 TalCualDigital com The Tower of David talcualdigital com in Spanish 2014 07 08 Archived from the original on 2014 07 23 Retrieved 2014 07 24 Venezuela s world famous vertical slum may be demolished Reuters 2014 07 23 Archived from the original on 2014 07 24 Retrieved 2014 07 24 Gobierno estudia tres opciones para el futuro de la Torre de David el nacional com in Spanish 2014 07 23 Archived from the original on 2014 07 24 Retrieved 2014 07 24 Preven usar Torre Confinanzas como centro de atencion de emergencia El Universal El Universal 20 April 2015 Retrieved 22 April 2015 Ministro Reverol informo que la Torre de David sufrio una inclinacion de 25 grados en sus ultimos cinco pisos La Patilla in European Spanish 2018 08 21 Retrieved 2018 08 22 Homeland Tower of David TV Episode 2013 IMDb BBC Programmes BBC Retrieved 2015 08 30 Venezuela s Tower of David BBC News BBC News Retrieved 2015 08 30 An Interview with David Henry Wilson Alma Books 2016 11 14 Retrieved August 3 2017 JJ Amaworo Wilson PM Press Archived from the original on September 29 2018 Retrieved August 3 2017 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Centro Financiero Confinanzas Torre David a documentary film about Centro Financiero Confinanzas Short documentary about residents of the Centro Financiero Confinanzas Squatters in Venezuela s 45 Story Tower of David photo documentation Coordinates 10 30 19 N 66 53 56 W 10 50528 N 66 89889 W 10 50528 66 89889 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Centro Financiero Confinanzas amp oldid 1101642419, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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