Villa Tugendhat has been included in the selection of the most prestigious buildings in the world designed by renowned architects and accessible to the public.
The selected buildings are presented to both the specialised and general public via the web pages www.iconichouses.org
More than one hundred houses from all of the continents are presented as tourist destinations and the sources of knowledge for architecture lovers. Iconic Houses also serves as a platform for professional communication amongst institutions responsible for administering the architectural works of the 20th century.
The foundation for the Iconic Houses association is aimed at propagating Modern architecture, supporting research initiatives, cooperating with the university environment and first and foremost raising awareness concerning iconic houses which have impacted history of the development of architecture. An emphasis is also placed on authenticity and protection of iconic houses by means of cutting edge restoration methods and being made accessible to the public.
Structures with an interest in membership has to meet the following basic criteria:
1. The house has to be a significant milestone in the development of Modern architecture of the 20th century.
2. The house has to have been designed by an architect who played a key role in the development of architecture of the 20th century.
3. The house has to be in an authentic state or has to have been restored to its original state. The house should not have been affected by renovations which would interfere with its original architectural concept.
4. The house has to be accessible to the public. Information about the opening hours has to be made public along with contact information.
The organisational committee for the foundation
Natascha Drabbe, founding chair, director of the Mart van Schijndel Foundation / Van Schijndel House, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Iveta Černá, director of Villa Tugendhat, Brno, the Czech Republic
Kimberli Meyer, director of the MAK Center, Los Angeles, in Schindler House, West Hollywood, California, USA
Susanna Pettersson, director of the Alvar Aalto Foundation / Alvar Aalto Museum, Helsinki and Jyväskylä, Finland
Lynda Waggoner, director of Fallingwater, Mill Run, USA. The ambassadors for the project are Aaron Betsky, Jean-Louis Cohen, Kenneth Frampton, Wessel de Jonge, Mateo Kries, Richard Meier, Glenn Murcutt and Raymond Neutra.