Urban-Think Tank's Vertical Gym is a prefabricated kit of parts, adaptable to any location. The base of the structure is superimposed upon an existing community basketball court, soccer field, or vacant lot, transforming it into a multi-level sports complex that can accommodate hundreds of people at a time. In this way, the design maximizes the potential of any city space, particularly areas with a dense urban fabric.

U-TT believes that engaging in exercise and social activity is a right of all citizens in the city, no matter their social and economic backgrounds. Given the dire need for such facilities in low-income neighborhoods and informal settlements around the world, U-TT wishes to partner with municipal governments, private businesses, industry, and community organizations that are interested in bringing a vertical gym to their respective cities.

The cable car design with social infrastructure is integrated with the Metro System of Caracas. The system is 2.1 km in length and employs gondolas holding 8 passengers each. Metro Cable's capacity allows for the movement of 1.200 people per hour in each direction. Two stations are in the valley and connect directly to the Caracas public transportation system. Three additional stations are located along the mountain ridge, on sites that meet the demands of community access, established pedestrian circulation patterns, and spatial availability for construction, ensuring minimal demolition of existing housing.

The five stations' designs share a basic set of components: platform levels, ramps for access, circulation patterns, materials, and structural elements. However, each station differs in configuration and additional functions, and the separate stations include cultural, social, and system administrative functions; replacement of demolished residences with more homes, as well as public spaces; a gym, supermarket, and daycare center; and a link between the cable car system and the municipal bus circuit.

Client	–
Project Lead	Alfredo Brillembourg & Hubert Klumpner
Collaborators	–
Team	Aksel Alvarez, David Racardo Dávila, Efrén Hernández, Eduardo Kairuz, Eduardo Maneses, Efren Santana, Francisco Martin, Jose Antonio Nunez, Jose Luis Leon, Mateo Pinto, Matias Pinto Oliver Castañeda, Ricardo Toro

Vertical Gym

Sports for Social Change

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