Hundertwasserhaus
The artist saw the housing project as “a form of sculpture” and in 1985, realized one of the most unusual public housing buildings worldwide.
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The Green Museum, facade of the Kunst Haus Vienna
Friedensreich Hundertwasser: an Artist at One With Nature
Not only was Hundertasser’s unconventional, colourful oeuvre inspired by nature, his entire philosophy was centred in it.
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A Jungle in the Heart of Vienna
It is five in the morning when Thomas Zelenka begins his day’s work. He is a beekeeper and takes care of a few dozen hives in Vienna. Two of his bee colonies reside on the roof garden of the KUNST HAUS WIEN, which is dedicated to the life and work of artist Friendensreich Hundertwasser. “The garden is a veritable jungle in the heart of Vienna - exactly what my bees want! Only recently, artists RESANITA researched the biodiversity of the museum for the exhibition “The House as Host” and found an astounding 260 plant species here!” says Zelenka.
While the beekeeper is tending to his bees, he speaks admiringly about Hundertwasser: “Already in the 1950s and 60s, he was convinced that a positive future for mankind is only possible if we live at one with nature. He lived his life according to this principle. Today, the longing for an existence grounded in nature, for a change of pace, is stronger than ever. Hundertwasser showed us the way.”
The Artist and his Vision of a “Humane Architecture”
The no-nonsense, straight-lined architecture of the postwar era was unbearable for the highly sensual artist. He found inspiration in the winding, colourful architecture by the Catalan Antoni Gaudi, as well as the French autodidact Facteur Cheval.
Hundertwasser was convinced that the straight line, the right angle, the even floor, and the sterile, even spacing of windows are elements that do not align with human nature and even harm our constitution.
According to Hundertwasser’s philosophy, buildings are the third skin of a human, after the epidermis and our clothes. Accordingly, individuals should have the right/ability to have a creative say in the construction of their abode.
Colourful "Eco" Buildings
Colourful "Eco" Buildings
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Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna (built by Friedensreich Hundertwasser) media_content.tooltip.skipped -
Rogner Bad Blumau
The thermal spa village Rogner Bad Blumau in the Burgenland is regarded as one of the most successful projects of the eco-artist.
Bewachsene Dächer Bad Blumaumedia_content.tooltip.skipped -
Fernwärmewerk Spittelau
Hundertwasser saw himself as an „Architecture-Doctor“ and did not shy away from improving existing buildings with major flaws: „No matter how ugly or sick, any building can be healed.“
Vienna Spittelau district heating plant - architecture by Friedensreich Hundertwasser media_content.tooltip.skipped -
St. Barbara Church in Bärnbach
The church was originally built in the 1950s and was redesigned by the artist with lots of imagination. The surroundings of the church also include symbols of six major non-christian religions.
pilgrimage path "Jakobsweg", church Barbarakirche designed by Hundertwasser, Bärnbach village media_content.tooltip.skipped
30 Years KUNST HAUS WIEN: The first „Green Museum“ in Austria
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Inner courtyard in the Kunst Haus Vienna, architecture by Friedensreich Hundertwasser media_content.tooltip.skipped -
The Green Museum, facade of the Kunst Haus Vienna media_content.tooltip.skipped -
Kunst Haus Wien / Museum Hundertwasser media_content.tooltip.skipped -
View of the temporary exhibition at Kunst Haus Vienna media_content.tooltip.skipped -
Tree tenant Kunst Haus Vienna, architecture by Friedensreich Hundertwasser media_content.tooltip.skipped -
Hundertwasser exhibition view (2016), Kunst Haus Vienna media_content.tooltip.skipped
Trees growing out of windows? A friendly facade? A real forest and real beehives on the rooftop? Interiors without corners and edges and a beautiful green courtyard? Created in 1991, the museum KUNST HAUS WIEN offers a refreshing perspective on art. Hundertwasser’s dream of an oasis in the heart of the city became reality. In accordance with his philosophy, it took over and transformed an existing building, a closed Thonet furniture factory.
Bettina Leidl, Director of the museum, explains: „In the 70s and 80s, ecological problems were rarely discussed by the general public. Today, the topic is on everyone’s mind. We only invite artists who work with topics such as biodiversity, recycling, climate change and sustainability.”
Thanks to her effort to act sustainably when it comes to the exhibition program and operative decisions, the cultural institution was awarded the Austrian Umweltzeichen in 2018. This makes the KUNST HAUS WIEN the first „Green Museum“ in Austria and brings Hundertwasser’s tradition of continually reevaluating the role of humans in the natural world into the future.
About Hundertwasser
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Life1928 - 2000
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Birth NameFriedrich Stowasser
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ArtFine Artist, Architect, Eco-Visionair, Environmental Activist
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Favourite PlacesVienna, Waldviertel, Normandy, Venice, New Zealand
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His MasterpieceThermal Spa Rogner Bad Blumau
His Life
The young Friedrich Stowasser started to express himself through art at an early age. His school reports frequently mentioned his extraordinary sense of colours and forms. With a lot of luck, mother and son survived the turmoil of the war, even though his mother was of Jewish descent and many members of the extended family were killed by the Hitler regime. In spite of the horrors of the war, the boy painted fairytale landscapes in bright colours, lush forests and worlds of paradise. Throughout his entire life, Hundertwasser campaigned for ecological causes, environmental protection and humane architecture. He designed several posters to support organizations such as Greenpeace and the Jacques-Cousteau-Society.
The artist himself lived relatively simple and according to his principles of sustainability: he recycled before it became a trend, planted more than 100,000 trees during his travels, used water and sun energy in his houses, installed humus toilets and biotopes. He made colours from his own recipes and generally thought a lot about the place of humans in the natural world. He died in the year 2000 in New Zealand, where he was buried under a tree, as was his wish.
