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The celebrated Stahl house, a paragon of midcentury modern architecture, is currently listed for the very first time in its whole history.

This suspended dwelling, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, was listed on the real estate market this past week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Owners Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its full 65-year existence, released a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the dwelling had grown increasingly challenging to care for.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the attention and effort it so truly merits," wrote the offspring of the first owners.

They added that the moment had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only values its architectural importance but also grasps its role in the cultural landscape of the city and elsewhere."

Unassuming Beginnings

The origins of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners acquired a sloped parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous symbol of the city, the owners often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Architectural Feat

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer months of 1956. However, many designers were originally reluctant to construct it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to undertake the task. With backing from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "was about experimentation" and "using new resources and constructing in places that maybe earlier the engineering didn’t really enable," commented an specialist from a city preservation society. "Each of these factors are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "only $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The result was "a perfect representation of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert added.

Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer took what is arguably the most iconic photograph of the home. Captured through the full-length glass windows, the image depicts two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to hover over the city skyline.

"I believe the lasting impact of that photo is due to the way it expresses an notion about living in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and detached from it," stated a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Historic Designation

The home has had memorable appearances in film, television and promos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a protected monument, 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 slots are currently sold out through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The property description for the home highlights finding a buyer who will preserve the essence of the space.

"For collectors of architecture, supporters of design, or institutions seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the listing say. "This is more than a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s past, appreciate its architectural purity, and secure its preservation for generations to come."

The expert agreed that the decision of purchaser 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 gives us a little bit of a concern – because you never know what the next owner, what their plans will be. And will they understand and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"