Casa Malaparte

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 architectur

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mirroring the shape of the bluff as well as necessitating a 387 foot triangular stairway leading from the upper roof terrace to the shore down below (Malaparte, p. 2). Primarily an artist, Malaparte once asserted he was responsible not only for the house and its location but also the rocks of Faraglioni, the blue of Amalfi beach, and the shore of Paestum, all locations in view from Casa Malaparte. In this manner, Malaparte felt he created everything to do with Casa Malaparte, even its natural phenomena. He did not ascribe to the belief that nature should conceal or dwarf architecture in any manner, instead using Casa Malaparte as an expression to question such notions. As Architect Michael McDonough (p. 4-5) maintains in his book Malaparte: A House Like Me, Casa Malaparte was solely inspired by art and by the artistic spirit and worldview of its creator: What I took away from A House Like Me was a deeper understanding of a great artist, a controversial man who lived on the edge of danger, constantly reinventing himself. Ultimately art was for him the core of existence; an ironic, unknowable, elusive thing. In his life, he played-out PicassoÆs maxim: Art is a lie that reveals the truth. Casa Malaparte was not just an attempt
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Approximate Word count = 2467
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)