Hundertwasser Public Toilets

I am posting a little early tonight as we are out for dinner and then photo club.

The Hundertwasser Toilets is a public toilet located on the main street of the town Kawakawa on New Zealand's North Island. It is one of few toilet blocks seen as an international work of art and a tourist attraction in its own right.

The toilet facility was designed by the reclusive expatriate Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who lived in Kawakawa from 1975 until his death in 2000, aged 71.

Recycled materials, including the community's spent glass bottles and bricks from a former Bank of New Zealand branch, were used throughout. The toilet was opened in 1999.

The Hundertwasser Toilets are considered the main attraction of Kawakawa and the most photographed toilet of New Zealand.

The toilets are truly a work of art, but unfortunately, there are only two toilets in the Ladies. Can't tell you what the men's toilets consists of. Hundertwasser definitely didn't think that one through when he designed and built the facilities. Can you imagine how long it takes to queue to use the toilets when a busload of tourists is in town. If anyone is visiting the area I suggest they take a packed lunch with them, because queuing could take a while.

[AmyJ]

Very interesting!

[Taffy]

Classy looking.

[Martina]

Great photo. Thanks for sharing this. I guess Hundertwasser wanted women to enjoy his art longer while waiting...

[julia]

World famous in Kawakawa... I guess he was not expecting a rush on the toilet at any one time... nice shot..

[Margo]

What amazing decoration for the loo,s

[Beryl Lloyd]

Such a colourful and unique looking Loos !

[Jane Morley]

I love this place. We found it again when we were in NZ last time. Strange town though. As well as the ceramics the tree in the middle amazes me!

[Peter]

Wonderful depth of field, clarity and colour, the best decorated public convenience I've seen great capture Babs, I will have to post a photo I took a couple of weeks ago along the same theme:)

[ShirleyB]

At least there is something fun and interesting to look at while you queue. Lovely shot and interesting information.

[sally agnew]

Fabulous image Babs and thanks for sharing the info :)

[Debbie]

Now they look like some interesting loos.

[Nova]

Thanks for sharing the history on this famous spot on your trip. I would not have thought this was an outhouse, if you did not tell us. :)

[ChristineL]

Really interesting, I like that he used recycled materials to build a toilet block!

[mittens (Marilyn)]

Wow, it looks beautiful. I want to go there. :) Excellent capture.

[Merrelyn]

Great shot, thanks for sharing the interesting history of this loo.

[Lady Magpie (Heather)]

Interesting place and a good capture. All that use of the toilets has really mad that tree grow. (Wink)

[bkb in the city]

What an interesting combination of public toilets and a tourist attraction

[Diana Moss]

Well these must be the only toilets to be a tourist spot LOL

[gloria jones]

Great stone work, colors

[Gillian]

How interesting! I didn't realise Hundertwasser lived, and died, in NZ.

[Joyce]

Great find and I love your story Babs

[Loopy-Lou]

Great capture and love your story.

[Linda]

Lovely capture of an interesting tourist site, a toilet designed by a 72 yo man. Cool. Figured he only put 2 in... hum... pack a lunch..

[Paula W]

Well what a colourful and posh loo that is.

[maree_sanderson]

cool loo...there would have been heaps more had the artist been female...lol...

[Kate Goring]

Coolest toilets ever. Fabulous shot.

[Gena Pegg]

What a delightful place to...well you know!!! Fun and colorful. Great lines, shapes and colors. Love it.

[Peter Dulis]

Lovely capture ....

[Annie D]

oooh i want a column like this

[Wylie]

well you do get to some interesting places!

[Dianne]

Lovely image - we did an art unit with five year olds and they had 'Hundertwasser' rolling off their tongues - mainly because I said it was pronounced as under wasser - like under wear! A brilliant artist, with such bright and interesting work. A pity he didn't get to do more.

[Babs]

@basqgirl @taffy @777margo @beryl @hermann @deborah63 @novab @inthecloud5 @mittens @merrelyn @ladymagpie @bkbinthecity @snowy @seattlite @kwiksilver @thistle @bizziebeeme @pippie @paulaw @kategoring @eyesmile @pdulis @annied @pusspup Thanks everyone. I would have liked to have spent more time in Kawakawa, but I spent so much time queuing for the loo that I didn't get chance to see as much of the place as I would have liked. Must go back there again one day.

[Denise Wood]

Amazing! I must have missed this, but after all the toilet humour happening on Peter's @pcoulson site, I had to go find this :) So interestingly different!

[Babs]

@cherrymartina He certainly achieved that Martina.

[Babs]

@julzmaioro Yes indeed Julia, ha ha.

[Babs]

@chimfa We didn't get to spend as much time there as I would have liked. Must go there again one day.

[Babs]

@pcoulson We have definitely lowered the tone of 365 with our loo shots haven't we, ha ha.

[Babs]

@shirleybankfarm You are right there Shirley. It did help to pass the time while waiting in the queue.

[Babs]

@maree_sanderson You are right there Maree.

[Babs]

@dide I checked him out on Google and his artwork is very interesting.

[Marnie]

I too was fascinated by this somewhat bizarre toilet block Babs, it's so out there. The metal sculptures on the footpaths were fab too. I've got a couple of shots I took of them.

[Chris K]

at least you would have time to take lots of pics.

[Jen Hudson]

Well that's an unusual sight. When we had the same problem somewhere remote I got hubby to keep a look out while a couple of us used the empty mens loos! When needs must.

[Sylvia du Toit]

Well done.