Spittelau incinerator

The Spittelau waste-to-energy plant stands beside the Donaukanal in Vienna’s ninth district. Built in 1971 on the site of a former waterworks depot, it was designed to supply heat to the nearby New General Hospital two kilometres away. The plant’s original purpose has been repeatedly updated, most visibly after a 1987 fire prompted a complete redesign of its exterior. The plant’s artistic makeover was led by Friedensreich Hundertwasser between 1989 and 1992. Working with architect Peter Pelikan and engineers Alexander Marchart, Roland Moebius and Waagner-Biro, Hundertwasser turned a functional building into a colourful landmark. Its façade now balances technical equipment with ecological aims and artistic expression. A similar plant in Osaka was later built in the same style. Visitors approach the plant along the canal and see the vivid mosaic surfaces and uneven lines that define Hundertwasser’s design. The rooftop features a large sculpture of the artist’s signature hat, added after he jokingly threatened to ‘put his hat on it’. Inside, the plant processes 260 000 tonnes of waste each year, feeding 60 MW of heat and 6 MW of electricity into Vienna’s networks.