Educational Media Reviews Online

The city of Asmara in Eritrea is unique in Africa, if not in the world, for its large concentration of modernist buildings dating from the 1920s to the 1940s. More than 400 structures survive from this period, during which Eritrea was an Italian colony under the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini.

The centerpiece of this documentary is a fascinating and informative walking tour, led by architect and Asmara native Naigzy Gebremedhin, featuring visits to some of the most significant sites. Designed by Italian architects at the height of the Modernist movement, these spare, functional structures include outstanding examples of Rationalist, Futurist, and Novecento architecture. Many are public buildings which, at the time of their construction, were closed to native Eritreans living under a strict system of racial segregation. It is particularly significant that, despite this history, the buildings are now a source of great pride among Asmara natives.

One of the objectives of the filmmakers was to document the work of the Cultural Assets Rehabilitation Project, a local preservation initiative founded by architect Gebremedhin. Through the group’s efforts, a protected district has been identified within the city, and structures are being renovated and restored to use. The buildings, as a historical group, many of which are in advanced states of disrepair, have recently been named by the World Monuments Fund to its list of endangered sites.

Through new and archival film footage and historic images from the Alinari Photo Archive, City of Dreams captures in a very tangible way the remarkable architectural heritage of Asmara, and its place within the social fabric of the city. City of Dreams is recommended for libraries and programs with collections in the visual arts, architecture, and African studies.