Vienna-born Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000), a prolific painter, architect and ecologist, completely rebuilt what was once the Bugholzmöbelfabrik Thonet (Thonet Furniture Factory) in the Weißgerberviertel between 1989 and 1991, giving the previously unremarkable building his characteristic style. There are irregular features made of glass, metal, brick, wood and ceramic tiles in a multitude of colors at every corner of the building. There are almost no straight lines or planes whatsoever. 

The Kunst Haus, which opened as a museum in 1991, is a prime example of sustainability in keeping with the philosophy of the eco-pioneer Hundertwasser. In 2018, it became the first museum to be awarded the Austrian Eco-Label, whose logo was inspired by Hundertwasser. The building was completely renovated in 2023/24. A hydrothermal energy source was harnessed to improve the energy efficiency of the museum by 75%. Hundertwasser’s principles of sustainability can be found everywhere in the Kunst Haus, which is home to no fewer than 260 plant species. Ten so-called “tree tenants”, which are regarded as ambassadors of the forest, grow out of the windows of the building. 

Hundertwasser’s life’s work

Architectural master Hundertwasser is celebrated as a visionary artist and designer on each of the building’s four floors. The first two floors comprise an exhibition of Hundertwasser’s oeuvre (the only permanent Hundertwasser exhibition in the world), which includes around 170 of his works. In addition to numerous paintings, prints, tapestries and woodcuts, the exhibition also presents numerous objects that underline Hundertwasser’s philosophy: a “humus toilet” that produces raw materials, a plant-based sewage treatment system as well as models of the Spittelau waste incineration plant that he designed and his hillside meadowland. The third and fourth floors of the museum are dedicated to temporary exhibitions of exciting contemporary art.

On the ground floor of the Kunst Haus is the foyer and museum store, which was extended during the renovation. It is also where visitors will find Café Friedlich, a jungle-like culinary oasis serving meaty classics of Viennese cuisine as well as vegetarian delights. Tuck into a Wiener Schnitzel or Hundertwasser’s favorite dish: nettle soup.

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Hundertwasser in Vienna

The Kunst Haus is not the only place to encounter Friedensreich Hundertwasser in Vienna. Just a few minutes’ walk from the museum, on the corner of Kegelgasse and Löwengasse, is another Hundertwasser landmark – the famous Hundertwasserhaus. Vienna’s most bizarre municipal building is just as colorful and unusually designed as the Kunst Haus, has uneven floors and is lushly planted with vegetation. While the apartments inside are obviously not open to the public, you can watch a free movie in the adjoining Kunstcafé coffee house (on the ground floor), in which Hundertwasser himself guides you through “his” house.

The Fernheizwerk Spittelau (district heating plant) in the 9th district, which was designed by Hundertwasser in his unique style, is not difficult to spot from afar. The exterior façade of the waste incineration plant was redesigned by Hundertwasser after a major fire in 1987. The eye-catching building (and the tower with its golden sphere) is located next to the Danube Canal and can be viewed from many angles, most impressively from a boat on a Danube Canal cruise.

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Climate Festival all over Vienna

Between April 5 and July 14, 2024, the Kunst Haus acts as the festival headquarters of the new Klima Biennale Wien (Vienna Climate Biennale). Over the course of exactly 100 days, 60 participating institutions are addressing issues relating to the climate crisis and attempting to reconcile art and the environment. At the Kunst Haus, the “Into the Woods” group exhibition over two floors focuses on the themes of forests and jungles. The Nordwestbahnhof urban development area near Augarten becomes a festival site attracting visitors with art and culinary delights. 

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