From Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie to Milan's Bosco Verticale and Dubai's Burj Khalifa, some of the world's most recognizable buildings aren't just architectural marvels – they're also home to stunning residential apartments that offer unique living experiences. These iconic structures, which typically draw attention as tourist destinations and cultural landmarks, house elegant residences that embody distinctive lifestyles and provide residents with extraordinary daily experiences.

The word "icon" originates from ancient Greek, referring to cult images or outstanding objects that convey a particular sense of life. In architecture, these icons become part of skylines and historic cityscapes, often associated more with sightseeing than residential living. However, apartments in these famous buildings are becoming increasingly common and truly convey a special lifestyle – whether it's the feeling of freedom and endless possibilities in Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie or the community spirit of mid-20th century living in London's Barbican Estate.

Architect Oskar Kohnen discovered his extraordinary home in London's Barbican Estate quite by chance. While searching for apartments online, he stumbled upon a penthouse in the brutalist concrete complex, not initially knowing that people could actually live in the famous building. His 700-square-foot, tube-shaped penthouse sits on the 7th floor of Defoe House, offering views of St. Paul's Cathedral from the living room beneath a barrel vault ceiling. Kohnen noticed that all his vintage furniture finds dated from 1969, the same year the Barbican was built, leading him to make this connection the central concept of his interior design. "Back then, people thought utopically toward the future, just like the architects of the Barbican," Kohnen explained. The apartment features rooftop terraces on both narrow sides, with furniture including Pascal Mourgue dining table and chairs from 1969, a Mario Bellini chair from 1966, and Italian fifties chairs alongside a Saarinen ashtray from New York's TWA Terminal.

In Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, designer Kate Hume created one of 45 apartments on the 18th floor of the city's landmark building. Working with a 4,300-square-foot space, Hume designed the interior for unknown buyers based on floor plans by Milan architect Antonio Citterio. "Such an exciting panorama is usually only known from Hong Kong or New York, but not from Europe," Hume said about the view from the Elbphilharmonie. She positioned the dining area to face the harbor and oriented the master bedroom toward the city. To compete with the apartment's impressive views, Hume incorporated eye-catching elements throughout the space, including abstract sculptures that serve as anchor points and bold-colored carpets. The apartment features curved Minotti sofas in the living area, a kitchen block made of serpentinite by Eggersmann separated by glass walls, and the iconic honeycomb-patterned glass loggias that filter sunlight through sculptural bullseye windows.

New York City's Chelsea district houses the Lantern House, a residential building designed by architect Thomas Heatherwick whose name refers to its lantern-like facade. Heatherwick explained that "the design for the Lantern House emerged when we looked at the diverse buildings in New York and considered how we could build one where people would actually want to live, rather than just look at it." A model apartment designed by Cochineal Design demonstrates this philosophy, with the New York studio creating connections to the building's iconic architecture, particularly the lantern windows, while developing a tribute to Chelsea's art district. The geometric structure of the grid-like windows is reflected in the kitchen stool bases, cabinet cladding, and hanging cabinet grid patterns, while round leather-covered table legs, bathroom furniture, and a living room carpet with square patterns referencing the window mullions echo the building's exterior form.

Milan's Porta Nuova district features the Bosco Verticale, a high-rise complex consisting of two vertically greened twin towers that serve as the modern district's centerpiece. Built around Italy's tallest building, the 755-foot Unicredit Tower, this new quarter has established itself as a popular residential and business area. On the 24th floor of the taller tower, an elegant apartment designed by Coima Image and Giopagani showcases how filtered and diffused light passes through the tower's lushly planted facade. The space features noble surfaces, custom-built installations and furniture, and carefully curated materials including maple wood boiserie and brushed oak Italian herringbone parquet flooring. Large sofas invite conversation in the living area, while twin tables made of glass and stainless steel create social moments, and a reading chair with plant motifs references the iconic facade.

Another Elbphilharmonie apartment, designed by the duo Birg Man Koen, demonstrates how residents can dramatically alter Antonio Citterio's prescribed floor plans. Like their studio name, the interior design team stripped away everything non-essential, creating connections and passages where none existed before and adjusting the apartment's orientation toward what matters most: the view of Hamburg's harbor. Working with a Hamburg art collector who was integrated into the design process from the beginning, they created enchanting details using unique materials including leather flooring, goat parchment kitchen fronts, and limestone furniture. The kitchen functions almost like a gallery of extravagant ideas, featuring lacquered goat parchment fronts, an illuminated round dish rack with rotating compartments, and a cooking niche that closes at the push of a button behind a mirrored island.

Perhaps no apartment in the world sits higher than the Sky Palace penthouse in Dubai's Burj Khalifa, spanning the 107th and 108th floors across nearly 21,500 square feet. This "palace in the sky" offers unlimited luxury and a 360-degree view extending over desert, city, and the Arabian Gulf. "The view from the penthouse is simply spectacular, and every viewing direction reminds you that you're in one of the world's most iconic buildings," said Asad Khan, broker and CEO of Invest Dubai Real Estate. Beyond its unique views, the apartment features an indoor pool and private elevator. The luxury penthouse was listed for $50 million in spring, with buyers able to customize the interior design and additional features according to their preferences. Despite being located in the world's tallest skyscraper at 2,717 feet, this apartment is neither the city's most expensive nor the world's highest residence, as even higher apartments exist in New York City.