An hour south of Naples on the Amalfi Coast stands Ceramica Artistica Solimene factory, the only European building designed by Italian architect Paolo Soleri (1919–2013).
Approaching the design holistically, Soleri used local and available materials. This was, of course, ceramic, which he used as a dominant decorative element of the building. Cantilevered into the hill, the building’s wavy structure and tiled façade give the appearance of a giant lizard soaking in the sun. The interior of the ceramic factory opens up into a noble, almost temple-like space, with powerful pillars in the shape of a Y, which are the supports for the entire structure.
In the proposal of Ceramica Artistica Solimene by Paolo Soleri, there are references not only his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright but also the radical Italian Baroque of Francesco Borromini and Guarino Guarini with their concave and convex curves. Composed of circular terra-cotta and green tiles, mosaic glass strips, and diamond-shaped windows, the earth-coloured factory effectively blends into the Mediterranean landscape. On the other hand, large windows flood the building with natural light while the ceramic cones promote the factory’s products.
