Iconic Houses: visit the icons of modern living
Iconic Houses is a global network of 20th-century house museums: homes by Aalto, Le Corbusier, Loos and others, artists' studios, and even a few iconic houses you can stay in.
What it is
Iconic Houses is an international non-profit network connecting architecturally significant 20th-century houses that are open to the public as museums. That covers homes architects designed for themselves or their clients, as well as artists' homes and studios. The foundation behind it is based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
The heart of the site is its directory of houses. Each entry lists the architect, the years of construction, the country, the exact address and a link to the museum's own site. You'll find Alvar Aalto's house in Helsinki, Le Corbusier's apartment-studio in Paris, Adolf Loos's apartment in Prague, Robin Boyd's house in Melbourne and many more. Filters let you narrow it down to museums, architects' own houses, artists' homes and studios, or houses where you can actually stay the night.
Why we picked it
We usually experience modernist architecture through photos. This is a ready-made list of places where you can walk in the front door. It's a great way to plan a trip differently: not just a city's big museums, but the house where an architect lived and worked.
The site is clearly active, with fresh news, country specials, and an Icons at Risk section tracking modern houses threatened with demolition — marked as saved, at risk or already lost.
Where to start
- Browse the houses directory for your country or your next destination.
- Filter for houses you can stay in; it's a lovely surprise.
- Flip through the country specials.
- Check Icons at Risk to see which buildings you should visit while you still can.
Who it's for
Architecture and interior design lovers. Travelers looking for something off the usual route. Architecture students. And anyone curious about how the people who invented the modern home actually lived in one.
Quick answers
Can I visit these houses? Yes, the network is made up of houses open to the public; check each museum's own site for hours and tickets.
Who runs it? The Iconic Houses Foundation, a membership-supported non-profit based in Utrecht.
Is it only about Europe? No, the directory includes houses in North America, Australia and elsewhere.
