CAPRI / CASA MALAPARTE

On the side of the rock the stairs leading to the boat launch and swimming pier

Mid nineties, I visited Capri. Most impressive was the walk up to Casa Malaparte, journalist / writer and surprisingly architect of this house on an isolated rocky peninsula on the east coast of the island. Only accessible by foot, it takes about half an hour through pine trees and across rocky slopes. You arrive at the top of a mount from which your first glance is down on the roof and monumental stairs that lead up to it.

In short, Malaparte was exiled by Mussolini because of criticizing the Italian political situation in the pre war years. He was 'locked up' on the island of Lipari. Obviously he took inspiration from the church of annunziata, featuring a resembling set of stairs. [see picture below] First he had the house designed by Adalberto Libera, but finished it with the help of a local stone mason. Probably thus introducing some irrational elements, including the typical roof design.

Arriving at far above the house

The much photographed house also appeared in Godard’s 1963 film Le Mépris (Contempt).

 A scene from Le Mépris

The church of annunziata on Lipari

taken from the right angle the house gets this towering perspective

200 COUNTRIES / 200 YEARS / 4 MINUTES

Visualizing some development always catches my eye. O, that's what's going on... This film in a way is sort of reassuring. The world is not doing so bad. Well, eh, a lot of people are doing great, even. But that creates the next problem... And so on, and so on.
 Watch and enjoy!

the rise of the rest

No, the Rise of the Rest doesn't mean the End of the West. 'Established' markets and brands will not succumb or shrivel; the South Koreans, Japanese, Swiss, Brits, Americans, French, Germans, Norwegians, Canadians, Australians and Singaporeans will continue to forever add to the innovation pile, too.
In fact, to overlook the quirkiness, creativity, heritage & provenance, chicness, clean(er) air, freedom, joie de vivre, scientific breakthrough, societal innovation and cultural exuberance found in the 'Old World', North America, Japan and South Korea, would be a grave mistake. Many of these countries will find themselves in the top ten of happiness and quality of living indices for many years to come.