SPECIAL – Iconic Dreams - Sleep in an Iconic House!

Always wanted to sleep in a museum? Now's your chance! Iconic Houses' members include an exclusive selection of museum homes that you can rent for a holiday. Imagine having one all to yourself, and getting to know it at your own pace. Well designed and authentic, these houses have wonderful stories to tell. During a stay in one, you will experience it almost exactly as the original residents did. Most were designed as weekend or holiday homes for their owners, meaning that the architects could indulge themselves more than in permanent homes – they didn’t need to be so practical, and instead focused on fun.

To help you choose your ideal place among our choice selection of Iconic Houses holiday homes, we’ve grouped them all together. From a hidden Brutalist gem in Belgium, to a Case Study House in the USA, you can read all about them. Or browse our map and check out the blue pictograms. Hurry and book if you want to be sure of a special holiday this summer!

We’ve arranged the houses chronologically from newest to oldest.
We look forward to introducing more iconic holiday homes to you soon!

We want your tips!
We’re always looking out for new and inspiring examples. So, if you know a unique and unmissable house from the 20th century, please tell us about it by mailing info@iconichouses.org. Thanks for your suggestions!

Casa Weeber, Willibrordus, Curaçao (2006)
Architect Carel Weeber, who spent his childhood on Curacao, developed his former family home according to the building principles of traditional plantation houses on the windy and hot island with maximum incoming wind and a minimum of direct sunlight: so air conditioning is not needed. Casa Weeber is available as a holiday rental.

Van Wassenhove House, Sint-Martens-Latem (1974)
Belgian architect Juliaan Lampens designed the Van Wassenhove House exclusively of concrete, wood and glass. All areas overlap as one open space: the sleeping area is a circle, the kitchen a triangle and study a square. Short-stay rental and individual or group visits are allowed.

Can Lis, Mallorca (1971)
After Jørn Utzon left the Sydney Opera project in 1966, he decided to settle on Majorca where he bought land near Porto Petro, situated on a steep cliff facing the sea. Can Lis could then become a reality. The Utzon Foundatio offers visits and shorter stays by architects and architecture students in the months of the year that there are no artists in residence.

Case Study House #26, San Rafael, USA (1963)
Case Study House 26 is the only CSH designed by Beverley David Thorne. The timeless design is based on a simple concept, basically a shoebox, covered with a flat roof. The social spaces are accentuated by a double height space, whose dramatic roof follows the slope of the lot. Despite the difficult terrain, this design required minimal excavation.

Villa Morassuti, San Martino di Castrozza (1956)
Villa Morassutti is one of the emblematic works of architect Bruno Morassutti. It is an interpretation of the building tradition of the mountainous area where it stands, but the layout refers to the Veneto tradition with its big central hall, which is the heart of the building and represents its symbolic, functional and aesthetic centre.

Weidlinger House, Wellfleet (1953)
Designed by pioneering engineer Paul Weidlinger, this house was vacant and in danger of demolition since the late 1990s. The Cape Cod Modern House Trust leased and restored it in 2014 and three more abandoned modern houses; Hatch Cottage, Kugel/Gips and Kohlberg House. By staying here you support the restorations while enjoying the architecture and natural setting.

Ball-Paylore House, Tucson, USA (1952)
The Ball-Paylore House, was designed by architect Arthur T. Brown for Phyllis Ball and Patricia Paylore The hexagonal-shaped house embraced the trends of American modernism, utilizing a south-facing wall of glass built with movable sun shades to create an early passive solar system. Available for private tours by appointment and short-term rentals.

Villa Leoni, Tremezzina, Lake Como, Italy (1944)
Villa Leoni was commissioned to Pietro Lingeri as summer residence. Projected in the same years of Lingeri’s artists’ houses on the Comacina Island, it represents for him another step in the study of a rational and mediterranean architecture; common feature of Italian Rationalism. The Villa can be visited by appointment and rented for short stays.

Dijkstra House, Groet (1934)
This summer house for the Dijkstra family, close to the sea and dunes, is an outstanding example of experimental modernist Dutch architecture of the 1930s. It was designed by architects Merkelbach and Karsten, pioneers in the Dutch Modern movement. It has been preserved in great detail and can be rented as a holiday home from the Hendrick de Keyser Association.

Haus Schminke, Löbau (1933)
Architecture should be an experience. This is why Hans Scharoun's Haus Schminke offers to spend a night, exclusively, in the Schminke House. And of course you can use all the built-in furniture, including the Frankfurt kitchen, which in large part remains in its original form. There is a total of seven beds. On request extra beds can accommodate up to twelve guests.

Van Ravesteyn House, Utrecht (1933)
Dutch railway architect Sybold van Ravesteyn designed this villa in 1932 for himself in the style of the Nieuwe Bouwen. The villa was transferred to the Hendrick de Keyser Association in 1996. The wish of Van Ravesteyn's son was that the house and the interior would remain unchanged. As of March 2019 the house can be rented as a holiday home.

Villa Winternitz, Prague (1932)
Villa Winternitz is the last building designed by Adolf Loos that had been finished before his death. The spacious house has all the aspects of Loos' Raumplan, built-in furniture, beautiful materials and unexpected colours. You can book a guided tour or cultural activity. It is also possible for two guests to rent the house for an overnight stay!

Villa Tammekan, Tartu (1932)
It is possible to stay overnight at the Villa Tammekann in Estonia and thus experience the unique environment of this design by Alvar Aalto. Although stays are primarily intended for university staff on work visits, special groups interested in architecture are also welcomed. With two twin rooms and three single rooms a stay includes also use of the sauna :-)

Taut’s Home, Berlin (1930)
Travel back in time to Berlin's stylish 1930s accommodation at the UNESCO-World heritage site at the Horseshoe Estate. Suitable for up to four guests, Taut’s Home is a cultural treasure with the character of a museum and a real-life experience of design history. This is probably the closest you can get to the spirit of emergent Modernism and the Golden Twenties in Berlin.

Posted 17 June 2020