The colourful world of Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Everybody needs a splash of colour in their lives, literally and figuratively. The world would be a dull place without it, and nobody knew this more than Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an Austrian artist and architect who created incredible buildings brimming with glorious technicolour.
Just like many artists who dare to be different, opinions about Hundertwasser’s work are polarising, while some say it’s too kitschy and commercial, others say it’s wonderfully imaginative and original. I belong to the second camp.
While on a trip to Vienna, I was excited to see Hundertwasserhaus, a housing complex made up of 52 apartments and 16 private terraces, which the architect built between 1983 – 1985. Located in Landstraße, I enjoyed the scenic walk along the canal from my hotel near St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
The building attracts its share of tourists so you’re likely to spot crowds snapping away before you get a full view of the apartment block. Unlike the rest of Vienna which focuses on straight lines and a traditional sense of architecture, Hundertwasserhaus does everything but conform to this standard.
The first thing you notice is the patchwork of colours – bright, bold and varied. Then you notice the quirky design, surprisingly there are no straight lines, no right angles, every window has a different shape and vines and greenery wind around the building’s façade to create a beautiful suggestion that it’s been reclaimed by nature.
A desire to live harmoniously with nature
The idea of living more harmoniously with nature was an integral part of Hundertwasser’s vision, he said, ‘Among trees you are at home’. Through his work he created rooftop gardens and loved to include shapes naturally found in nature, with a special affinity with spirals as he believed they were a symbol of endless nature and beauty.
The building has a very fairy-tale quality to it, and you can’t help but smile at its playful rebellion, especially in a city that, although diverse, has a homogeneous aesthetic.
In some areas the painting seems shredded, revealing the original façade which serves to highlight how ordinary the building would otherwise appear. Fearing this, Hundertwasser took no payment for designing the complex, saying it was to prevent something ugly being erected in its place. Though some haters said he did exactly that (haters gonna hate!).
Since the building is a residential complex, you cannot go inside which is disappointing but wholly understandable, due to this you shouldn’t expect to stay here long. However, next to the house is located the ‘Hundertwasser Village’, a kind of shopping mall where you can purchase souvenirs, and grab a bite to eat.
Visit Museum Hundertwasser
Less than 10 minute’s walk away you’ll also find KunstHausWien, a museum dedicated to the architect as well as exhibiting work from artists around the world.
Sadly, I didn’t have time to go but it would be the perfect activity to do in combination with visiting Hundertwasserhaus as it certainly adds more meaning to his work and your appreciation for it.
Where to stay in Vienna
If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, look no further than Superbude Wien Prater located next to Prater Park.
Its quirky yet stylish and comfortable interior will enhance any stay in Vienna. From here, you’ll also be able to walk to the Hundertwasser complex in less than 15 minutes. (Located approx 700 metres away).
Additional information
How to get to Vienna
Depending on where you are travelling from there are a variety of transport options. You can fly direct from most major airports in the UK and world-wide, I recommend comparing prices on Skyscanner.
Travelling by train is an excellent option if you live in Europe. The Trainline is my go-to place for checking dates and booking tickets in advance.
Tours and activities
You can book a wide variety of tours and activities in advance to enhance your trip to Vienna. Take a look at what’s available on GetYourGuide or Viator.
For more inspiration on what to see on do in Austria’s capital city, check out: 18 Essential Things to do in Vienna.
If you are interested in reading more posts related to architecture from around the world, have a delve into my archive.
6 responses
Hundertwasserhaus sounds beautiful, I’m not sure how I missed it while I was in Vienna! Lovely photos as always Shing.
Though special, I think it’s quite overlooked Katie, I’d never heard of it until I started doing some research a few days before heading to Vienna! Now I really want check out Hundertwasser’s other buildings!
Whoa this place is so whimsical! I’ve not heard of this architect before, but now I have a few pages up just so I can look at his other work. Thank you showing me all this colour!
That’s exactly what I did too Gemma, suddenly I found myself looking at loads of different web pages and tabs just so I could see more of his work! I hope you see get to visit some of his creations in the future.
We first discovered & visited Hundertwasserhaus about fifteen years ago. We were in Vienna in December to visit the fantastic Christmas markets and decided to swing by thinking we could get a few great photos to put on Instagram.
We were rather disappointed to see that the building looks really dull and faded – it looks like it hasn’t been painted anytime since our last visit. When we first visited it was really colourful, bold & beautiful, so hope it gets a fresh coat of paint soon.
I really appreciate that you have a place on your blog dedicated to quirky and overlooked places. I am always drawn to the more out-of-the-way spots in major cities, and it’s great that there’s a place to go if I were ever in one of these places and wanted to get away from the bigger names.