Why go
The building offers a distinct modern counterpoint to Capri’s Roman ruins and historic villas. The widening stair, flat roof terrace and curved white screen make the exterior immediately legible as a composition. Jean-Luc Godard’s Le Mépris gave those features a further life on screen, turning the house itself into part of the film’s visual language.
The full story
Casa Malaparte began with a design conceived around 1937 by architect Adalberto Libera for writer Curzio Malaparte. The account of its construction also gives Malaparte and local stonemason Adolfo Amitrano central roles in shaping the finished house. Its authorship is therefore more complicated than a single architect’s name suggests. The red masonry block sits on Punta Massullo above the Gulf of Salerno. A broad stair rises towards the roof terrace, where a freestanding curved white wall contrasts with the angular building. These exterior forms, together with the interior, appear prominently in Godard’s 1963 film Le Mépris. After Malaparte’s death in 1957 the house suffered neglect and damage; substantial restoration began decades later. Its private setting means that architectural significance should not be confused with an invitation to enter.
Useful to know
- Plan around viewing the coastal setting; do not assume access to the private house or its final approach.