Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City [Paperback]

Edward Denison (Author), Guang Yu Ren (Author), Naigzy Gebremedhin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2007

Asmara, the capital of the small East African country of Eritrea, bordering the Red Sea, is one of the most important and exciting architectural 'discoveries' of recent years. Built almost entirely in the 1930s by the Italians, who transformed it into a hotbed of radical architectural innovation, Asmara has one of the highest concentrations of Modernist architecture anywhere in the world. This superb building-by-building survey, illustrated with previously unpublished archival material and specially commissioned photography, chronicles the colonial past and remarkable survival of a city that has evocatively been described as "the Miami of Africa".

Editorial Reviews

Review

An excellent overview of Asmara's colonial past, the ambitious building program of its Italian occupants, and its present condition.

About the Author

Edward Denison and Guang Yu Ren are heritage consultants with broad international experience.They have spent more than five years working to identify, preserve and publicize the cultural assets of Eritrea. Naigzy Gebremedhin, one of Africa's most experienced and highly regarded consultants in the fields of architecture, engineering and the environment, was formerly Director of Eritrea's Cultural Assets Rehabilitation Programme.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Merrell Publishers (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858943825
• ISBN-13: 978-1858943824
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #992,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for the arm chair traveler and history buff, March 11, 2004

By 

Ron T. (Knoxville, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City (Hardcover)

I spent several years living with my family in Asmara as a young boy. Now as an adult I've been searching for a book that would allow my to do some arm chair traveling back to my former home. Mr. Denison's book allowed me to do that in both word and picture. The book is broken up into a general history section followed by detailed photos on the major architecture of Asmara in each of the significant eras, and offers both vintage and current photographs and design plans of the buildings in the city.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An authoritative work, September 8, 2005

By 

Starks (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City (Hardcover)

A very important work that includes both the Eritrean history and the architectural mystique and prominence of this otherwise unknown city.

I applaud the authors for helping to preserve Eritrea's architectural treasures, which stand as a true gem compared with the rest of the African continent. Outlined in the book are those that were spared from the marauding British and greedy Ethiopian invaders and withstood decades of war.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'must' for any college-level collection strong in architecture and modern urban landscapes., March 6, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City (Paperback)

Edward Denison, Guang Yu Ren and Naigzy Gebremedhin's ASMARA: AFRICA'S SECRET MODERNIST CITY examines the nature and architectural innovations of a city which holds one of the highest concentrations of Modernist architecture in the world. Experts with detailed knowledge of the city survey many of the structures, add notes from previously unpublished archival material, and include original photography not to be seen elsewhere. A 'must' for any college-level collection strong in architecture and modern urban landscapes.