There are many theories of architecture and design and the use of space, both in terms of internal space and external space. There are also theories of architecture which contend that form follows function and those that argue function follow form. Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright maintained that form and function were one. In addition to these theories, there are theories of architectural design that assert that architectural constructions take on a form of communication, that is, they are able to convey the values, beliefs, and ideologies behind the form and function.
It is perhaps the last of these theories, the conveyance of communication of values and beliefs through architecture, which best defines the intention of writer and political activist Curzio Malaparte in the design and construction of his home on a bluff in Capri, Casa Malaparte. Going against established theories of architecture, such as a building should fit in with its natural surroundings, Malaparte was determined to construct a house that would be his house, conveying his values, beliefs, and personality. As Malaparte (p. 1) wrote in an essay explaining his intentions for Casa Malaparte, ôThe day I started to build myself a house, I did not think that I would be creating a portrait of myself.ö
Malaparte considered Casa Malaparte a portrait of himself in stone, one that he often called a ôhouse like meö (Lang Ho, p. 76). Nevertheless, the design and architecture of the house were originally attributed to Italian rationalist Adalberto Libera, but recent evidence suggests that the house was ôdesigned by Malaparte himself, with the help of a local masonö (Lang Ho, p. 76). Despite the origins of the design and architecture, one thing is certain, Malaparte intended to create a dwelling that conveyed his personality, values, and beliefs. To Malaparte, everything from the homeÆs location to the materials used in its construction were chosen with ...