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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern design, is now available for the very first time in its complete history.

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

Stewards Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its complete 65-year timeline, issued a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They noted that the property had proven increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This house has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the care and energy it so rightfully warrants," stated the children of the first owners.

They added that the moment had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also understands its role in the cultural history of Los Angeles and beyond."

Unassuming Origins

The origins of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the initial owners acquired a mountainous patch of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

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

Architectural Undertaking

The first design for the Stahl house was developed during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were at first hesitant to construct it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the project. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, spearheaded by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "was about innovation" and "using new resources and building in places that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really allow," stated an expert from a regional heritage organization. "Each of these factors are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was not feasible."

Finalization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the family, construction amounted to "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert added.

Soon after the build ended, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most iconic image of the home. Taken through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image features two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to float over the city skyline.

"I believe the long-standing influence of that photograph is due to the way it expresses an concept about dwelling in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and removed from it," stated a founder of an architectural firm and lecturer at a leading university.

Protected Designation

The home has had notable features in movies, TV and promos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was included as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Custodianship

The home is still open for visits, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all tours are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home emphasizes finding a new owner who will conserve the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, advocates of building, or institutions seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing say. "This is more than a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next guardian who will honor the house’s past, value its design integrity, and guarantee its protection for future generations."

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

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they comprehend and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"