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The celebrated Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern architectural design, is currently listed for the first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, was listed on the market this past week. The asking price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Owners Choice to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have owned the residence for its full 65-year timeline, issued a statement regarding their choice to sell. They stated that the dwelling had become increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This home has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the dedication and energy it so richly deserves," commented the offspring of the initial owners.

They further stated that the time had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its design legacy but also grasps its position in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and further afield."

Humble Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the initial owners bought a sloped patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a renowned icon of the city, the family often emphasized that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "working-class family living in a luxury house."

Design Undertaking

The initial design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer months of 1956. However, many builders were originally hesitant to construct it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the project. With backing from the influential Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the family received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "was about experimentation" and "utilizing new building materials and constructing in places that maybe before the engineering didn’t really allow," stated an expert from a city conservancy. "All these elements are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that site that everyone else believed, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Iconic Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the family, construction cost "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The outcome was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the specialist noted.

Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most iconic image of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but appearing to hover over the LA skyline.

"I think the enduring impact of that photograph is due to the way it expresses an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and detached from it," said a head of an architectural firm and educator at a leading university.

Protected Designation

The home has had memorable features in cinema, 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.

Coming Ownership

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before stopping the tours.

The property description for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will preserve the character of the space.

"For collectors of design, supporters of design, or entities seeking to safeguard an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the details say. "This is more than a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a hunt for the next guardian who will honor the house’s history, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its conservation for posterity."

The specialist affirmed that the choice of purchaser would be a vital one, given the home’s past.

"I believe any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And can they understand and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"