rocinha, widely known as the biggest favela in the americas, is a vertical city:  built on a steep hill formerly home to small farms, solid and well developed at the base, it reaches the top through a variety of trails leading to thousands of homes.  

development brought electric and cable wires, connecting all constructions to one another - houses seem to be built on top of each other and suspended on a cliff, while hoards of moto-taxis carry people up and down narrow and lively streets, furthering the commercial and social activities of the district.