Hundertwasserhaus, Vienna

Walking through Vienna, I'm surrounded by its elegant and traditional architecture. Baroque, Neoclassical and Art Nouveau designs abound around every corner, along narrow streets and wide boulevards interspersed with serene and romantic parks. These beautiful buildings are grand and polished, their symmetries absolutely timeless. But a walk northeast of the city centre, close to the Danube Canal, brings me to Kegelgasse. As I turned onto the street and laid my eyes on the Hundertwasserhaus, I felt like I stepped into another world. The bright colours, uneven shapes, and plants growing from every corner make it feel alive and completely unlike anything else I have seen.

This building was designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an artist and architect with a completely different view of how things should be built. Born Friedrich Stowasser in Vienna in 1928, he studied briefly at the Academy of Fine Arts but quickly decided he wanted to follow his own ideas. Travelling widely and learning several languages, Hundertwasser always carried a small paint box with him to paint anywhere. When it came to architecture, he believed that it should connect with nature and reflect individuality. He thought straight lines were boring and unnatural, and his designs show that in every way.

The Hundertwasserhaus is full of life. The floors are uneven, the windows are different shapes, and trees grow right out of the semi-circular balconies and roofs. It feels more like a living, growing thing than a building. It's surprising and fascinating.

Not far from here is another one of Hundertwasser's works, the Kunst Haus Wien, a museum that displays his art and ideas. The outside is colourful and full of unexpected shapes, and inside, you can see his paintings, drawings, and models. His art uses bold colours, spirals, and patterns inspired by nature, showing the same creativity he brought to his buildings.

About 1.2mi (2km) north of Hundertwasserhaus is the Spittelau Waste Incineration Plant, which he redesigned after it was damaged by fire in 1987. What could have been another stark industrial building is now a bright and playful landmark, with colourful tiles and a golden dome that stands out in the skyline. This wonderful redesign showcases how even something as ordinary as a waste plant can be turned into art, a concept later replicated at the Maishima Incineration Plant in Japan. 

Hundertwasser's architectural influence extended beyond Austria, with spiraling forms, gilded onion domes, uneven floors, and green rooftops appearing in several German cities, a winery in Napa Valley, USA, a fountain in Tel Aviv, Israel, a market hall in Switzerland, and an art centre in Whangarei, New Zealand, among other examples. 

In a city full of tradition and order, the Hundertwasserhaus is a bright reminder that creativity and individuality are just as important. It shows how the city honours its past while expressing itself in new ways.