Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an Austrian architect who called straight lines “the devil’s tools.” He moved to New Zealand near the end of his life and settled near Kawakawa, north of Auckland. When the town of Kawakawa decided to renovate its public toilets, in 1998, Hundertwasser leapt into action and applied his fantastical style—part Gaudi, part Klimt—to this most humble of facilities. It was his last project before he died. It’s a random place to stop, but if you’re going to the Bay of Islands from Auckland and have any interest in architecture and architectural curiosities, it makes for an entertaining quick stop.
More Recommendations
Public Toilets as Public Art
Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an Austrian architect who called straight lines “the devil’s tools.” He moved to New Zealand near the end of his life and settled near Kawakawa, north of Auckland. When the town of Kawakawa decided to renovate its public toilets, in 1998, Hundertwasser leapt into action and applied his fantastical style—part Gaudi, part Klimt—to this most humble of facilities. It was his last project before he died. It’s a random place to stop, but if you’re going to the Bay of Islands from Auckland and have any interest in architecture and architectural curiosities, it makes for an entertaining quick stop.
