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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of midcentury modern architectural design, is currently listed for the very first time in its whole history.

This overhanging residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills area, was listed on the listings this past week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Family Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the home for its complete 65-year existence, shared a declaration regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the property had proven excessively demanding to maintain.

"This home has been the center of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve aged, it has become more difficult to look after it with the dedication and effort it so rightfully warrants," stated the descendants of the first owners.

They added that the period had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only values its architectural importance but also understands its place in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Modest Inception

The inception of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the original owners purchased a mountainous patch of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous representation of the city, the owners often stressed that "no celebrities ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Construction Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer months of 1956. However, many builders were at first hesitant to construct it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the challenge. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, spearheaded by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around trial and error" and "utilizing new materials and constructing in sites that maybe before the technology didn’t really enable," commented an specialist from a local heritage organization. "Each of these factors are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was built on that site that everyone else believed, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction cost "only $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The final product was "a perfect representation of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most well-known image of the home. Shot through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image depicts two women sitting in the home’s living room but appearing to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I think the lasting impact of this photograph is due to the way it communicates an idea about living in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and detached from it," said a principal of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Historic Status

The home has enjoyed memorable features in cinema, television and videos, including several well-known 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 included as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently fully booked through February. In their release regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The sales details for the home emphasizes finding a buyer who will conserve the character of the space.

"For collectors of style, advocates of design, or organizations seeking to protect an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the description read. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next custodian who will honor the house’s past, value its architectural purity, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

The authority affirmed that the decision of buyer would be a critical one, given the home’s history.

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a custodianship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they comprehend and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"