Cinema Roma, Asmara

According to Asmara - Africa's Secret Modernist City, the design for the Cinema Roma was originally proposed in 1937 by Roberto Cappellano under the name Cinema Dux and although originally rejected the cinema was built soon after 1937 and for a time was known as Cinema Excelsior. The Roma name was adopted later.

The authors do not go into details of alterations to the cinema in 1944 by Bruno Sciafani but the plans reproduced in the book show an enlarged front facade similar to the current building and therefore, perhaps, a larger cinema overall.

The latter plan does not include the flagpoles so they may have been added realtively recently. They are similar to the flagpole on these Shops and Apartments in Harnet Avenue.

Reference:
Asmara: Africa's Secret Modernist City- Edward Denison, Guang Yu Ren & Naigzy Gebremedhim