Humanity in Architecture: A Natural Internal Environment

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an artist and architect focused on the relationship between humans and the built environments in which we inhabit. In so doing he recombined art and architecture and demonstrated that even a functional and basic furniture warehouse, circa 1892, can be transformed into an object of modern beauty that simultaneously reconnects humans and nature. KunstHausWien, Hundertwasser's art museum in Vienna, was completed in 1991 and remains a source of inspiration to those who share his philosophies.

While his philosophies may seem to oppose the teachings of modern architecture, he was in tune with other twentieth century art historians and philosophers. We have known since Darwinian times that human emotion is inseparable from the physical body. Emotions can be triggered by imitating the body language of others. In the same way feelings can be evoked by imitating the expressions held by a building. Imitative relationships have been described between people and buildings in works by Walter Benjamin and Heinrich Wölfflin who theorised that our perception of architecture is not just visual or functional but involuntarily sensed by the body (Macarthur 2007). This mimesis is a reaction designed to close the distance between humanity and environment.

Aware of this concept, Hundertwasser attempted to bring the practical side of art and architecture in line with accepted philosophy. In order to achieve this desired outcome he recognised the need to break with certain traditions. "The architecture of KunstHausWien would be a bastion against the dictatorship of the straight line, the ruler and T-square, and a bridgehead against the grid system and the chaos of the absurd (Hundertwasser 1990)."

Accordingly, the building's exterior exudes an imposing presence with its asymmetrical geometry and almost randomly textured façade. Crudely formed mosaics intermingled with multi-coloured windows decorate the façade, producing an uneven yet fluid and colourful effect; an interpretation and reflection of the beauty attributed to the external natural environment. The bright colours are interspersed on a background theme of natural earthy tones like wildflowers on the plains or an oasis in the desert.

This exterior, his representation of man's 'third layer' and therefore connected to the body by vibrational energy, does not merely serve as a protective barrier between man and the environment but rather connects the two living spaces so that they co-exist in harmony. It seems his purpose was to take us a step backward from our artificial environment and re-introduce the concept that we are a part of nature and not separate from it. To create the flow between interior and exterior he has used many windows, and in particular glasshouse structures containing trees as a living extension of the functionality of the conventional windows. The pattern and distribution of windows has been likened visually to the pores in the skin. By extrapolation the opening and closing of the windows can also be functionally similar to the skins ability to respire and exchange energy with the environment, this concept being enhanced by the integration of trees.

We are beckoned to the interior via archways, beautiful in their asymmetry, and their vibrantly coloured support pillars. The use of asymmetry here mimics the feel of walking beneath a treed canopy on a garden path. At the end of the path we approach a clearing in the foyer of the building. Once inside the flooring resembles a gently undulating field creating the impression that the building has been constructed to snugly fit the landscape. This is an interesting concept in itself since it opposes our usual reaction to destroy the landscape in order to make the environment fit our artificial constructions, and in this way distancing ourselves from nature as if we are separate entities.

It is this estrangement of humans from their natural surroundings that prompted Hundertwasser to re-establish man's natural relationship and equilibrium with the earth. An awareness of our spiritual requirements in daily routine can be realised by tuning in to, and comparing, our own individual reactions on entering buildings constructed in different architectural styles. His message in creating KunstHausWien: "Architecture should elevate and not subdue man."

Hundertwasser, F (1990) 'The Role of KunstHausWien', viewed 25 August 2008, http://www1.kunsthauswien.com/english/rolle.htm

Macarthur, J (2007) 'Movement and tactility: Benjamin and Wölfflin on imitation in architecture', The Journal of Architecture, 12:5, 477-487.