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The celebrated Stahl house, a paragon of midcentury modern architecture, is up for sale for the very first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered dwelling, situated in the Hollywood Hills, hit the market this recent week. The price tag stands at an impressive $25 million.

Owners Decision to Part With

The Stahl family, who have owned the property for its full 65-year history, issued a statement regarding their resolution to sell. They noted that the house had grown increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to look after it with the attention and effort it so truly merits," stated the children of the original owners.

They further stated that the time had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only values its architectural importance but also understands its position in the cultural history of the city and elsewhere."

Modest Origins

The beginnings of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the original owners bought a mountainous plot of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known symbol of the city, the family often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a luxury house."

Construction Feat

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the warm season of 1956. However, many builders were at first wary to erect it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to take on the task. With support from the prominent Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the family received support to hire Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around innovation" and "using new materials and building in places that maybe before the technology didn’t really enable," commented an authority from a city preservation society. "Each of these factors are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Famous Impact

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most iconic image of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the image shows two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to hover over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting influence of the photograph is due to the way it communicates an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and removed from it," stated a founder of an architectural firm and educator at a major university.

Cultural Designation

The home has enjoyed memorable appearances in movies, television and music videos, including several well-known 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 conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their release announcing the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The property description for the home highlights finding a buyer who will maintain the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, patrons of design, or entities seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the description read. "This is more than a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next custodian who will respect the house’s past, respect its design integrity, and secure its preservation for generations to come."

The expert concurred that the selection of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a residence like this, it always causes 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 specific case the Stahl family has?"