Fiat Tagliero

Asmara, Eritrea

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The Fiat Tagliero Building in Asmara, Eritrea, is a striking example of Futurist architecture completed in 1938 and designed by Italian engineer Giuseppe Pettazzi. It was conceived as a filling station with a design resembling an airplane, featuring a central tower housing the office and shop, and two massive 15-meter cantilevered concrete wings that serve as canopies.

During construction, local authorities wanted pillars to support the wings, but Pettazzi insisted they were unnecessary and, according to legend, threatened to shoot the contractor if the supports weren't removed. The wings successfully remain unsupported to this day, demonstrating his engineering vision. The building survived bombing during World War II and remained in use until 1974.

It was restored in 2003 and is now a celebrated symbol of Asmara's unique Italian colonial architectural heritage and is part of the city's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site, blending modernist creative expression with a complex colonial history.