New Zealand isn’t a country often associated with huge artists or big global names. Instead, it’s known for it’s natural beauty, friendly people and open mindset, which in turn entices big talent to visit the country, fall in love with it and want to make it their home.
That’s exactly what happened with an Austrian architect, Friedensreich Hundertwasser. A quirky, highly skilled architect and artist who visited New Zealand, fell in love with the country and brought his quirky architectural styles to the shores.
He documented a lot of his process, his work, his art and his travels, and this can be seen at the Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangarei, New Zealand. The building itself is typical Hundertwasser style, both externally and internally, but inside there’s an art exhibition space and a Hundertwasser exhibition.
It showcases a number of buildings he designed, his home life, his travels on board the boat Regentag and his love affair with nature.
Who was Hundertwasser?
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, born Freidrich Stowasser, lived his early life in Vienna, Austria. It was a very difficult childhood, growing up in a Jewish family in Austria during WWII, but he and his mother were able to survive. As he grew into a young man and the war ended, he studied for a short period in art, traveled a bit and then turned his hand to architecture.
His passion for nature and freedom of expression developed further, he changed his name to Friedensreich Hundertwasser and he found work as an architect, designing famous buildings like Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna but also designing stamps, coins and flags for countries around the world.
The development of his work and life path can be seen at Hundertwasser Art Centre through a short documentary and then the exhibition space. It’s very interesting to see his approach to life and art, and his real passion for including nature in his work.
Where is the Hundertwasser Art Centre?
In the centre of Whangarei, a town in the north of New Zealand’s North Island. It’s about a 2-hour drive from Auckland and the actual Hundertwasser Art Centre is on the boardwalk next to Hatea River. On a sunny day, the views from the rooftop are lovely with the hills in the background and the boats passing by on the river in front.
Parking: If you’re looking for parking to have easy access to Hundertwasser Art Centre, there is a small amount of parking outside, accessed from Dent Street. Alternatively, a handy car park close by is accessed from John Street/Robert Street. There is a time limit of 3 hours but that’d be plenty of time to visit Hundertwasser Art Centre and have a brief look around the city centre.
The Cafe
Aqua Café-Restaurant is the on-site cafe at Hundertwasser Art Centre, and you can enjoy a drink or something to eat there without having to buy a ticket to the Hundertwasser exhibition! You’ll get to experience a bit of the inside of the building, though all areas that are part of the exhibition are still for ticket holders only, you won’t be able to just nip up to the roof for a quick peek.
However, if you’re having a wander around Whangarei and want to just have a taste of Hundertwasser without committing to the exhibition, enjoying a meal in the cafe-restaurant is a great choice. It’s not the cheapest place to eat, but this is New Zealand…
How Much Time Do I Need?
If you’re just visiting the Hundertwasser exhibition, an hour is plenty enough time. There’s a short video screening downstairs that is an interesting insight, the exhibition space and the rooftop to see. Including time to have a look around at the building, an hour is probably more than enough time to allocate.
If you want to stop in at the cafe too, factor in extra time for that.
Is it Worth Visiting Hundertwasser Art Centre?
The actual Hundertwasser exhibition is interesting, but it’s quite small and if you’ve been to Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna you might be a little underwhelmed. It’s interesting to get the extra information about the man behind all the architecture and see a bit of the quirky character, but if you’re travelling on a budget I don’t think you’ll be disappointed/missing too much if you just see the outside of the building and maybe have a coffee or bite to eat in the cafe.
Hundertwasser Public Toilets
Located in nearby Kawakawa, Hundertwasser public toilets are exactly what the name suggests, public toilets designed by Hundertwasser.
Public toilets are a very common sight in New Zealand, but these have a very unique personality and have been labelled as the most beautiful public toilets in New Zealand. What a title to have!
If you’re passing through or near to Kawakawa, it’s worth stopping off to have a look and see the colourful tiling, the glass bottle wall and the quirky support pillars of Hundertwasser’s toilets.
Hundertwasser in Vienna
I first came across Hundertwasser in Vienna, the city he was born and grew up in. There are some amazing examples of his architectural work in the city, and I felt it had quite a similar expressive vibe as Barcelona’s famous architect Gaudi so instantly fell in love with it.
One of the big sights to see in Vienna, Hundertwasserhaus is a residential building designed by Hundertwasser. Just opposite is a small shopping centre, full of compact, quirky shops and a cafe. Both buildings are designed and decorated in true Hundertwasser fashion: colourful, vibrant and full of life. Literally, full of life. You’ll see trees on the roof and the balconies, the floor flows up and down rather than the traditionally flat pathways that are usually desired for public walkways.
In my opinion, if you visit just one Hundertwasser piece of architecture, it should be the one in Vienna. However, getting to see more of his work in Whangarei and Kawakawa when you’re in New Zealand is a perfect excuse to top up your quirky architecture fill!
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