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New Documentary Urges Preservation of the Modernist Architecture of Asmara
Asmara is situated in the Eritrean highlands over 2 kilometers above sea level. The city has the rare distinction of having one of the largest surviving collections of Modernist architecture in Africa and possibly in the world. These buildings date back to the late 1930s and early 1940s, a period which can be considered the height of the Modernist movement in Asmara. What makes Asmara unique is the fact that some 400 of the Modernist buildings from that period have miraculously survived decades of military conflict. Now, however, Asmara’s unique city center may become a victim of the degenerative effects of poverty and time. To help prevent that from happening the World Monuments Fund recently added Asmara to a watch list of endangered sites. Eritrea was formerly a colony of Italy from 1861 to 1945. However, it was during the period of rule by the Fascist leader Benito Mussolini from the 1920s that most of the historically significant Modernist buildings were constructed. CITY OF DREAMS explores the ambiguities of Asmara's architectural legacy which, though treasured by her inhabitants, also hold memories of racial segregation that are recalled through personal testimonies and stunning archival footage. What initially inspired us to produce this documentary was the desire to record the architectural beauty of the city. We also wanted to document the burgeoning preservationist movement, especially the efforts of the Cultural Assets Rehabilitation Project or CARP which was led at that time by the charismatic architect, Naigzy Gebremedhin. Through CARP, a historic perimeter was designated to protect and preserve many of the 400 Modernist buildings that are now endangered. A few of these masterpieces have been renovated including a villa which now houses the World Bank offices, and the Cinema Roma, built in 1937. In the brief period, roughly, between 1925 and 1941 Italian architects experimented with new Modernist idioms such as Rationalism, Novecento and Futurism which were influenced in part by developments in the International Style. These design styles favored structures that were simple but functional. In CITY OF DREAMS Mr. Gebremedhin tours his beloved city visiting a number of buildings that exemplify the various Modernist styles of the Italian colonial period. One of these is the Selam Hotel. Built in 1937, this Rationalist building is noteworthy for its simple, uncluttered arrangement of ground floor windows and first floor recessed balconies and its lack of ornamentation. Mr. Gebremedhin's tour also includes the Palazzo Falletta, built in 1937, which is designed in the Novecento style. Despite its massive, fortress-like appearance, Palazzo Falletta conveys transparency and balance with its recessed window frames and symmetrical arrangement of facades. Ironically, Palazzo Falletta's steel frame construction evokes an earlier period characterized by wall bearing masonry structures. CITY OF DREAMS also includes buildings that were influenced by the Italian Futurist movement, such as Fiat Tagliero (1938) and a structure located on the site of the former Mai Bela River. These designs attempted to convey the dynamism of the machine age. Originally designed as a service station, Fiat Tagliero resembles a fighter plane from the 1930's complete with cockpit, wings and tail section. Its colossal cantilever concrete wings serve as canopies for the service area below and are remarkable even by today's design and engineering standards. The Mai Bela river building (1938) creates the impression of a speeding locomotive. Its streamlined form appears to surge forward like a train on invisible tracks. Such dynamic imagery captivated Italian architects who were able to experiment on an unprecedented level with these ideas in Asmara. CITY OF DREAMS is a gem because it provides rich examples for students and educators of architecture and design who are interested in the Modernist movement, its evolution and influence on contemporary architecture. CITY OF DREAMS is also an important resource in African Studies because it goes beyond the contemporary stereotypes of Africa and the Horn of Africa in particular, showing that after decades of warfare culminating in Eritrea’s independence, many Eritreans have embraced the preservationist movement not only for the aesthetic beauty of the buildings but also as a means of coming to terms with the colonial past. Edward Scott Ruby Ofori Eye Level LLC
The Cinema Guild distributes CITY OF DREAMS in the USA and Canada. Please visit cinemaguild.com. For orders outside the USA and Canada please click here or contact
Useful Web Links
Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City by Edward Denison, Guang Yu Ren, Naigzy Gebremedhin
I Didn't Do It for You : How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation
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