The Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna stands as a permanent rejection of the standard architectural grid, featuring undulating floors and trees growing directly from internal living spaces. Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an artist and architect who operated across Austria and New Zealand, utilized his unconventional vision to oppose the straight line in both building design and pictorial art throughout his career.
Early Development and Identity
Born Friedrich Stowasser in 1928 in Vienna, the artist adopted his professional name as a variation of his birth surname, with the components translating to "Peace-Realm Hundred-Water." During the Nazi era, he and his mother, Elsa, avoided persecution by posing as Christians, aided by his baptism as a Catholic in 1935. After attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna for three months following the war, he transitioned into an international career, traveling extensively with a small portable paint set.
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Hundertwasser viewed the straight line as immoral and godless, advocating instead for biomorphic forms that reconciled human living spaces with the natural environment. His projects often featured grass-covered roofs, irregular layouts, and vibrant colors. Notable works such as the Waldspirale and the Hundertwasserhaus exemplify his commitment to environmentalist principles, often integrating trees and biological water purification systems directly into his structures.
Global Practice and Environmentalism
In the 1970s, he established a base in the Te Tai Tokerau region of New Zealand, purchasing significant land in the Bay of Islands to realize a self-sufficient lifestyle. His work extended beyond buildings to include postage stamp design, flags, and sculpture. He notably engaged in environmental activism, including a 1980 visit to Washington D.C. to support Ralph Nader in opposing nuclear proliferation.
Fast facts
- Born: 1928, Vienna
- Died: 2000, Pacific Ocean
- Citizenship: Austria, New Zealand
- Notable Works: Hundertwasserhaus, Waldspirale
- Key Movement: Modern Art
- Burial Site: Hundertwasser Estate, New Zealand
- Primary Occupations: Architect, Painter, Environmentalist
- Education: Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Questions readers ask
Why did he change his name from Stowasser?
He chose the pseudonym Friedensreich Hundertwasser, which translates to Peace-Realm Hundred-Water, as a way to reflect his artistic identity and philosophy.
Where is Friedensreich Hundertwasser buried?
He was buried on his land in New Zealand, specifically in the Garden of the Happy Dead under a tulip tree.
Achievements
- Order of Honour (Styria)
- Notable work: Waldspirale
- Notable work: Hundertwasserhaus
- Movement: modern art
