July 17, 2013

0748 GERMANY (Hesse) - Hundertwasserhaus Waldspirale in Darmstadt


If Die Grüne Zitadelle von Magdeburg (The Green Citadel of Magdeburg) has been started a year before the death of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Hundertwasserhaus Waldspirale (the Wooded Spiral) was completed even in the year of the artist's death, in 2000, so it can be interpreted as a loud testament to his hatred of straight lines (the "devil's tools", according to his opinion) and his allegiance to nature. The Waldspirale is a residential building complex located in Darmstadt's Bürgerparkviertel, and contains 105 apartments, a parking garage, a kiosk as well as a café and a bar.

At its highest point, the building has 12 floors. From the outside, the typical elements of Hundertwasser's personal style attract attention: the gilded onion domes, the absence of straight lines and sharp corners, the multicoloured painting of the building in earth tones and the colourful ceramic columns. Peculiarities of the U-shaped building are the unique facade, which doesn't follow a regular grid organization, and the windows (over 1000), which appear as if they were "aus der Reihe tanzen," (dancing out of line) everywhere different and appearing out of order, often with "tree tenants" - trees growing out from the windows. The diagonal roof, planted with grass, shrubs, flowers and trees, rises like a ramp along the U-form. As he once said, "If man walks in nature's midst, then he is nature's guest and must learn to behave as a well-brought-up guest."

List of Hundertwasser's works featured in this blog:
Die Grüne Zitadelle von Magdeburg - Magdeburg (Germany)
Hundertwasserhaus Waldspirale - Darmstadt (Germany)
542 Garten Im Regentropfen - Theater - Maul - Cappana 140 (watercolour)

About the stamps
The first stamp, depicting tagetes, is part of the series Blumen, about which I wrote here.

The second stamp is part of the large series German lighthouses, issued since 2004:

2004.07.08


• Greifswalder Oie Lighthouse (0,45 EUR)
• Roter Sand Lighthouse (0,55 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3143
2005.07.07
• Brunsbuttel Jetty Lighthouse (0,45 EUR)
• Westerherersand Lighthouse (0,55 EUR)
2006.08.10
• Neuland Lighthouse (0,45 EUR)
• Hohe Weg (0,55 EUR)
2007.07.02
• Bremerhaven Oberfeuer Lighthouse (0,45 EUR)
2007.07.12
• Hornum Lighthouse (0,55 EUR)


 2008.07.03
• Warnemunde Lighhouse (0,45 EUR) - It's on the postcard 2001
• Amrum Lighthouse (0,55 EUR)

2009.07.02


• Norderney Lighthouse (0,45 EUR) - It's on the postcard 0206
• Dornbusch Lighthouse (0,55 EUR)
2010.06.10
• Neuwerk Lighthouse (0,45 EUR)
• Falshöft Lighthouse (0,55 EUR)

2011


• Arngast Lighthouse (0,55 EUR) - It's on the postcard 1899
• Dahmeshoved Lighthouse (0,90 EUR)
2012.07.12
• Cape Arkona Lighthouse (0,55 EUR)
• Little Lighthouse Borkum (0,45 EUR)

2013.06.06


• Flügge Lighthouse (0,45 EUR)
• Büsum Lighthouse (0,58 EUR) - It's on the postcard 0748


2014.07.03
• Buk Lighthouse (0,45 EUR) - It's on the postcard 2222
• Pellworm Lighthouse (0,60 EUR)
2015.06.11
• Moritzburg Lighthouse (0,45 EUR)
• Lindau Lighthouse (0,62 EUR)


2016.07.07
• Staberhuk Lighthouse (0.45 EUR)
• Kampen Lighthouse (0.90 EUR)

References
Waldspirale - Wikipedia
Waldspirale - Atlas Obscura

Sender: Claudia Bukur-König (direct swap)
Sent from Wiesbaden (Hesse / Germany), on 17.06.2013
Photo: L. Conrad

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