Hammam Bou Hadjar

10 of North Africa’s Most Obscure Modernist Buildings

The IG account tracing the region’s hidden gems

Hammam Bou Hadjar

Whether it’s trailing history, or documenting the hands of New York City subway riders (yes it’s a thing and you should definitely have a look),  there’s a well-curated corner of Instagram dedicated to the most obscure of things. And one thing is for sure, we’ve all found ourselves spending countless hours scrolling through the innumerable pages out there. 

But not all profiles are created equal. More often than not, you wind up just wasting your time—but every once in a while, you might come across something that’s actually worthwhile. Case in point: @mistercollins.design, a catalogue of some of the world’s most architecturally spectacular buildings. 

From Brazil to Croatia, this Instagram page is a labyrinth filled with hidden gems from across the globe. Upon further research, the region, North Africa in particular, is not short of little known but unequivocally iconic buildings that range from apartment buildings and hotels to hammams and schools. 

And rather than leaving you with a massive wave of guilt due to an increasingly looming deadline, any time spent scrolling through this IG account is likely to get you motivated to plan a road trip across Algeria instead. And to kick start your plans, we’ve rounded up the region’s coolest buildings. 

Immeuble Villas Paquet, Casablanca, Morocco

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1b9VNiCejb/

Designed the French architect Jacques Gouyon, 1952.

Hammam-Bou-Hadjar, Algiers, Algeria

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1YDkoairwh/

Designed by Marcel Mauri, 1950s.

Grammar School, Algiers, Algeria

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1W5THwCr2U/

Designed by the X. Salvador, 1945.

Immeuble Liberté, Casablanca, Morocco

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1TpF51iqZJ/

Designed by the Swiss architect Léonard Morandi,1949-1951.

Hôtel Terminus, Agadir, Morocco

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Nx-fPCJLs/

Designed by the Swiss architect Erwin Hinnen.

Hotel Anfa, Casablanca, Morocco

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1MVYuJCg5N/

Designed by unknown architect, 1930s. 

Hotel M’Zab, Ghardaïa, Algeria

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzn-YWNCeBM/

Designed by the French architect Fernand Pouillon, 1970.

Hotel El-Riadh, Sidi Ferruch, Algiers, Algeria

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzml80wCZJm/

Designed by the French architect Fernand Pouillon.

Lattre de Tassigny Building, Oran, Algeria

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxgv1IrBCqv/

Designed by unknown architect, 1950s.

Share this article