Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City

You've probably never heard of Eritrea (I hadn't), a small East African country bordering the red sea. Chances are that you haven't heard of the capital city, Asmara, either. If you're interested in modernist architecture however, it's a city that you'll want to learn more about, especially after looking at Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City.

Originally a village of little importance, Asmara went from a tribal dustbowl to a hotbed of architectural innovation in a very short time- and long before the trend had caught on in other cities and countries, including Europe. Built almost entirely in the 1930s by Italians, Asmara now has one of the highest concentrations of modernist and contemporary architecture of any city on the planet.

As a fan of modern architecture, I found both the city and the book to be fascinating- a history of the city in both words and pictures. Architectural and design history fans will be especially thrilled- Asmara offers an extremely in-depth look at how the city developed from a common African village to a modern, contemporary city filled with unique and ground-breaking projects, buildings and design.

The book is packed with brilliant photos, drawings and sketches, and includes myriad information on the city planners, designers, etc. as well as a historical journey through photographs. I personally found it a bit text-heavy, but those looking for lots of information will surely appreciate the thoroughness, while readers like me can skim the text and focus more on the photographs.

Altogether, Asmara is a brilliant work, and one to be added to any fan of architecture's collection.