In 2002, I traveled to Austria and encountered the works of architect Hundertwasser. He is my favorite architect by far. He thought there were three things that restrict humans from nature: cities, buildings, and clothes. So he decided to do what he could to break down those restrictions. I love the way he combined his works with nature. He planted large trees and other vegetation on most of the roofs of his buildings and made uneven floors that simulate nature. And as far as the clothing restriction, he made many of his speeches naked :)
A quote of his I wrote in my journal back then:
"The flat floor is an invention of the architect. It fits engines, not human beings. We do not only have eyes to see and ears to hear and noses to smell. We also have a sense for the touch of our hands and our feet.
If a man is forced to walk on flat floors as they were planned thoughtlessly in designers' offices, estranged from man's age old relationship with and contact to earth, a decisive part of man withers and dies. This has catastrophic consequences for the soul, the equilibrium, the well-being, and the health of man. Ability to experience ceases and he becomes disabled, mentally and organically.
An uneven and animated floor means to recover dignity in man which has been violated in our unnatural and hostile urban grid system. The uneven floor becomes a symphony, a melody for the feet, and brings back natural vibrations to man.
Architecture should elevate, not subdue, man. It is good to walk on uneven floors and regain human balance."
-Hundertwasser, 1991
I love the whimsical nature and bold colors he chooses. He reminds me of what I imagined Roald Dahl's house and life to be like when I was a kid. Too bad he didn't design a "James and the Giant Peach" house, because he would've been perfect for it.
If you make it to Vienna, you'll notice how his vibrancy spread throughout the city. Sometimes you feel as if you should be skipping or running around on your tiptoes.
Willie by Annie Leibovitz
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