24.02.11

Today I went to visit the ‘Hundertwasser - Krawina House’ with my parents. I was introduced to Hundertwasser’s art work when I was in my first year of secondary school. I was always fascinated by his dream like imagery. The colourful swirls, extensive variety of patterns and playful imagery he used always seemed intriguing. Hundertwasser (1928-2000) enjoyed painting organic forms and you can seem glimpses of influences from Klimt to Gaudi in his work.

As we approached the ‘Hundertwasser - Krawina House’ his style was instantly recognisable. The building on the corner of Lowengasse and Kegelgasse was definitely in contrast to its surrounding buildings. His flowing lines and striking colour scheme was his attempt to strike a blow against what he saw was a soulless modern architecture. The array of irregular shaped windows, uneven trails of broken ceramic tiles along the facades and combination of sculptural objects had a direct relation to his dreamy paintings I remembered from school.

An aspect of the playful facade along Kegelgasse

I enjoyed the playful organic shapes and powerful colours; everywhere I looked I discovered another interesting detail. Mosaique animals, details such as drain mouths and even a compass showed the rich variety and detailing that went into this building. You could feel the artist’s presence on site as he must have been overlooking all these fascinating aspects. Hundertwasser also felt that the dialogue between art, architecture and nature was very important. He worked alongside architect Josef Krawina, one of the first architects in Vienna to adopt green roofs who also felt that old building façade’s should be preserved. The building is made up of 50 residential units that vary in size from around 50 to 150 square meters, each have their own unique character and style, no one being the same as another. Due to the fact that these homes are lived in, the interior is not accessible to visitors but from seeing images, the exterior’s personality is only amplified in the interior.

The green elements are very powerful tools in the design. ‘Tree tenants’ are visible reaching up from the rooftops from the 16 private terraces and 3 communal roof top gardens, offering residents access to nature, peace and calm under the open skies.

The combination of artistic and architectural elements was breathtaking and urged me to seek out more of his gems.

The commemorative facade of the house that once stood, moulded into the new

Later that evening I had to wish my parents farewell. I was so happy to have had them visit and be able to see my living arrangements, enjoy the rich surroundings I now had living in Vienna and to share some fantastic experiences with me. They played a huge part in encouraging me and supporting me in coming to Vienna and for that, I am forever grateful.