Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Colourful utopian
Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an artist, architect and environmental activist. His extraordinary sense for colour and form became evident early on. Despite the horrors of the Second World War, the young boy painted dreamlike landscapes in rich colours – lush forests and imagined paradises. After a brief time studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, he developed his unmistakable style in the 1950s: Organic shapes, vibrant colours, and the spiral as a central motif. From the 1970s onwards, he increasingly turned to architecture, creating more than 40 buildings worldwide and advocating for green roofs, “tree tenants” and nature-inspired design.
For Hundertwasser, art was a philosophy of life
Sustainability was not a trend for him, but a way of life. He lived simply, used renewable energy and developed alternative recycling concepts long before sustainability became mainstream. He planted around 100,000 trees during his travels, used solar and hydropower in his homes, installed composting toilets and created natural habitats. He also designed numerous posters in support of organisations such as Greenpeace and the Cousteau Society. Many of his paints were mixed using his own recipes, and he consistently reflected on humanity’s place in the natural cycle – until his death in 2000, when he was laid to rest beneath a tree in New Zealand, just as he had wished.
The "KUNST HAUS WIEN" museum in Vienna was the first "green" museum in Austria.
Meet Hundertwasser's works
In the footsteps of Friedensreich Hundertwasser
The sober, linear architecture of the post-war period was repellent to the sensually minded artist. Hundertwasser drew inspiration from the flowing, colourful forms of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, as well as from the work of French autodidact Facteur Cheval.
He firmly believed that straight lines, right angles, level floors and the sterile uniformity of windows were alien to human nature – and even made people ill.
According to Hundertwasser, buildings are the third skin of a human being, after the epidermis and clothing. He believed people should have the freedom to shape their living spaces individually.
Trees growing from windows? A cheerfully irregular façade? A real forest and beehives on a rooftop? An interior area without sharp corners and a beautifully green courtyard? The Hundertwasser Museum – KUNST HAUS WIEN, opened in 1991 and invites visitors to experience art in a unique setting.
Hundertwasser's vision of an urban oasis has become a reality. In line with his philosophy, the museum was created by repurposing an existing building - a former Thonet furniture factory.
In recognition of its efforts to operate sustainably, both in its exhibitions and day-to-day practices, the museum was awarded the Austrian Ecolabel in 2018. So, KUNST HAUS WIEN is Austria’s first “green museum”, continuing Hundertwasser’s forward-looking dialogue on humanity’s role in the cycle of nature.
High above the rooftops of Vienna, there is a gentle hum: Two bee colonies with around 140.000 honeybees live on the rooftop garden of KUNST HAUS WIEN. This initiative is directly inspired by Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s ecological vision, in which nature and architecture form a unified whole. The green façade, rooftop garden and more than 260 plant species create an ideal habitat for the bees. Fruit trees such as apple, pear and walnut, along with lime trees, provide food, while the museum’s greenery helps to support urban biodiversity.
Beekeeper Thomas Zelenka looks after the bees, which produce around 80 kilograms of organic honey each year. In addition to honey, bee products such as candles and lip balm are available in the museum shop. As Vienna’s first “green museum”, KUNST HAUS WIEN continues to bring Hundertwasser’s ideas to life – a vibrant example of sustainable urban nature and active environmental protection.