Apartment Building, Massawa

Massawa is a port city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. It is hot, dusty and suffered a lot of damage during the Eritrean Struggle with Ethiopia.

The architecture reflects a lot of Arab influence but also shows some art deco style.

This apartment building shows both. The building curves around two corners with simple metal railings surrounding the balconies and flat roof. The balconies also act as shading for the windows below providing some relief in this harsh climate.

I'm not sure if the condition of the top floor is a result of bombing during The Struggle or whether it is being renovated. It is difficult to tell.

It doesn't help the general outlook of the building when all the wooden shutters are closed against the heat of the day.

The shape of the windows is lovely. The triangles above the standard rectangluar windows an balcony doors add a simple elegance. Even here you'll notice that the original design has been compromised by alterations. In the case of the lower flat, the triangle window has been filled in. At least it is still recessed so the shape can still be seen but it lacks something without the wooden slats.