Waiting Houses - Friedensreich Hundertwasser

A 1968 lithograph by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, featuring his signature organic architectural forms and bold, saturated colour palette.

Waiting Houses (637A) is a characteristic example of the graphic work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Created in 1968, this piece displays the artist's rejection of the straight line, a concept he famously articulated in his manifestos. Instead, the composition relies on organic, undulating forms and a highly personal visual vocabulary that prioritises individual expression over architectural standardisation.

The image features a cluster of structures that appear to possess human-like qualities. The buildings are rendered in bold, saturated colours, with red, yellow, and violet dominating the palette. The windows are irregular, scattered across the facades like eyes, suggesting a sense of animation or sentience within the built environment. Above the structures, a series of concentric circles and radiating lines evoke a celestial presence, perhaps a sun or a cosmic force, which contrasts with the grounded, blocky nature of the houses below.

Hundertwasser often used his art to critique modern urban planning, which he viewed as sterile and oppressive. By imbuing his buildings with irregular shapes and unconventional colour schemes, he sought to restore a sense of humanity and connection to nature within the urban fabric. The use of metallic inks and complex layering techniques in his prints adds a tactile quality to the work, reflecting his interest in the physical properties of materials. This print captures his desire to create a more harmonious existence between people and their surroundings, where every building is treated as a unique, living entity rather than a uniform unit in a grid.