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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of midcentury modern architecture, is currently listed for the first time in its whole history.

This cantilevered residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, hit the market this past week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Stewards Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the property for its entire 65-year history, shared a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the dwelling had grown increasingly challenging to care for.

"This house has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve grown older, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the attention and vigor it so rightfully warrants," stated the children of the first owners.

They further stated that the period had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only recognizes its architectural importance but also comprehends its role in the cultural history of LA and beyond."

Humble Origins

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the initial owners bought a hilly patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a renowned symbol of the city, the residents often emphasized that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "working-class family living in a luxury house."

Construction Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was conceived during the summer months of 1956. However, many designers were initially hesitant to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to undertake the project. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received support to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on experimentation" and "utilizing new building materials and erecting in locations that maybe before the technology didn’t really allow," stated an specialist from a local heritage organization. "Each of these factors are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Famous Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "a perfect representation of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the authority noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a celebrated architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most iconic photograph of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the photo shows two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the LA skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring effect of that image is due to the way it conveys an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and removed from it," commented a head of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Protected Status

The home has enjoyed memorable cameos in film, broadcast and music videos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was included as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home remains open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all tours are currently fully booked through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The property description for the home stresses finding a new owner who will maintain the spirit of the space.

"For connoisseurs of architecture, supporters of design, or entities seeking to protect an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the details say. "This is more than a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next custodian who will respect the house’s history, respect its architectural purity, and secure its conservation for future generations."

The expert agreed that the decision of buyer would be a crucial one, given the home’s history.

"In my view any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is transferring hands of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you never know what the next owner, what their plans will be. And will they understand and cherish the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"