The Iconic Houses Network

20th century architect's houses and modern house museums form a unique category of sites open to the public. Whereas the buildings are located all around the world the professional issues that concern running the sites are more or less the same. Research initiatives and co-operation with universities and expert teams, restoration issues at large, audience development, caring of the collections and display strategies as well as temporary exhibitions programs represent some of the issues of mutual interest.

In 2012 a group of modern house museums started the Iconic Houses network.
The aim of the network is to provide a platform for professional discussion: to share not only the best practices but also encourage each other to develop new activities. We have lots of potential together. The first step is this website with almost 200 Iconic Houses that are open to the public.

The Iconic Houses Network brings professionals and sites together from all the corners of the world. This professional forum encourages sharing information and best practices as well as creating new and fruitful partnerships between organisations small and large.

Non Profit/ANBI-STATUS

The Iconic Houses Foundation is registered as a Public Benefit Organization (ANBI) at the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration. You can support our activities in a tax-efficient way.

Dutch donors can download in this link below the form Periodieke Gift in order to claim the maximum tax benefits allowed by Dutch tax law for their contributions.

U.S.-based donors can also support our activities in a tax-efficient way through a contribution to the American Friends of Iconic Houses at Every.org. Because Every.org is a 501c3 public charity, donors may claim the maximum tax benefits allowed by US law.
Any support is greatly appreciated!

ANBI Standaardformulier publicatieplicht

Statuten 2016
Strategic Plan and Action Plan 2021-2025
Jaarrekening 2024
Verslag activiteiten Iconic Houses Foundation 2024
Organigram

Iconic Houses Foundation
Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce Registration number: 55671284
RSIN: 851811735
Pieterskerkhof 8, 3512 JR Utrechts, The Netherlands
+31 6 22 69 07 11, www.iconichouses.org
info [at] iconichouses [dot] org

Iconic Houses Foundation

Executive Director
Natascha Drabbe M.A., Founder
Executive Director Mart van Schijndel Foundation

Foundation Board
Chair: Vacancy
Treasurer: Huub Wüst
Board member: Marcel van Soest
Secretary: Vacancy

Previous Board Members
Nanne de Ru
Dr. Hetty Berens
Prof. Emeritus Hendrik-Jann De Ru
Mr. Nick van Buitenen
Drs. Mariet Willinge

Organigram

From left to right: Nanne de Ru, Hetty Berens, Natascha Drabbe, Marcel van Soest, Huub Wüst.

International Advisory Board

The network is managed by the Iconic Houses Foundation.
The International Advisory Board of the Foundation includes:

Iveta Černá, Head of Villa Tugendhat, Brno City Museum, Brno, Czech Republic
Katya Degrieck, Head of Large Partnerships, Northern Europe at Google, Belgium
Justin W. Gunther, Director Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA, USA
Anne Rowe, Director of Heritage, Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Rancho Mirage, CA, USA

Ambassadors

We want to thank our ambassadors:
Hetty Berens, Conservator Emerita, Sonneveld House at Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam (Netherlands).
Kenneth Frampton, Architect, critic, historian and the Ware Professor of Architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University New York (USA).
Wessel de Jonge, Architect and Co-founder of DOCOMOMO International (Netherlands).
Mateo Kries, Director Vitra Design Museum (Germany).
Glen Murcutt, Architect and 2002 Pritzker Architecture Prize Winner (Australia).
Raymond Neutra, President of the Neutra Institute for Survival Through Design (USA).
Nanne de Ru, Architect, Founding Director of Powerhouse Company and Red Company, Rotterdam (Netherlands).

Past Ambassador:
Jean-Louis Cohen (1949-2023) Professor, Architecture Theoretician (France/USA).

Criteria to Join as House Museum

To be included as a modern house museum or artists' home and studio on the Iconic Houses world map and in its directory:

1. The house must be recognized for its significance in the development of modern architecture of the 20th century.

2. The house must be designed by an architect who played an influential role in the development of 20th century architecture as demonstrated through scholarly publications.

3. The house must be in its original condition or restored to its original state. The house may not be significantly renovated or expanded in a way that negatively impacts the architects’ original vision.

4. The house must be available for public visitation either through regular hours of operation or by appointment. Information regarding hours of operation and any restrictions such as exterior viewing only, must be published on a wesbite along with physical address and contact information including email address and telephone number.

If the house meets these criteria, the organization running the house can participate in the Iconic Houses Network in different membership levels. This explains why some houses are presented more extensively than others.

Mission Statement

The foundation's objective is:
promoting the preservation and cultural heritage of modern house museums, architects’ houses and artists' homes and studios, collectively referred to as 'ICONIC HOUSES'.

The foundation seeks to achieve these goals by:

1. expanding and maintaining a network of owners or directors of Iconic Houses;

2. bringing Iconic Houses to the attention of the general public with every available communication tool;

3. advancing knowledge about maintaining Iconic Houses and about preventing mutilation and demolition;

4. identifying, creating and maintaining documentation of Iconic Houses;

5. organizing conferences;

6. raising funds for projects that aim to support the Iconic Houses' mission, and projects that can help achieve its mission;

7. moreover, everything that can directly or indirectly relate to or assist the mission, in the broadest sense of the word.

Meet the Volunteers

Alice Marques
Monique van Dongen
Emma Valjakka

Emily Wijns is a collection care specialist with a love for modern architecture, interior design and preserving heritage. She is responsible for the care and conservation of Huis Sonneveld in Rotterdam. Emily assists with Iconic Houses’ marketing and social media.


Klaas-Jan Visser is a tax specialist assisting Iconic Houses with streamlining our international fundraising efforts, notably ensuring that local donors can where possible access local tax facilities.