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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern architectural design, is currently listed for the first time in its whole history.

This cantilevered dwelling, situated in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the real estate market this recent week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Choice to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its complete 65-year timeline, shared a statement regarding their decision to sell. They stated that the property had become increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the care and vigor it so rightfully warrants," wrote the descendants of the initial owners.

They continued that the period had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only values its architectural importance but also grasps its role in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and further afield."

Humble Origins

The origins of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the first owners purchased a sloped patch of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a renowned representation of the city, the residents often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a white-collar house."

Design Feat

The initial design for the Stahl house was created during the summer of 1956. However, many architects were initially wary to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls met with architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to accept the task. With support from the influential Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The progressive program "was about trial and error" and "using new building materials and building in sites that maybe earlier the engineering didn’t really permit," commented an authority from a city heritage organization. "All these elements are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Finalization and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and construction began in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "just $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The final product was "the ultimate vision of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert commented.

Soon after completion, a famous architectural photographer took what is perhaps the most famous picture of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to float over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting impact of this photo is due to the way it expresses an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and removed from it," stated a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Historic Designation

The home has made notable features in cinema, broadcast and videos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was listed as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home remains open for tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their announcement concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The sales details for the home emphasizes finding a buyer who will preserve the spirit of the space.

"For collectors of architecture, patrons of design, or institutions seeking to safeguard an national treasure, there is simply nothing comparable," the details say. "This goes beyond a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a quest for the next guardian who will respect the house’s history, value its original vision, and guarantee its conservation for generations to come."

The specialist affirmed that the selection of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s past.

"I think any time a original family, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they grasp and cherish the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"