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

This cantilevered dwelling, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, hit the listings this recent week. The listing price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Move to Part With

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its entire 65-year history, released a statement regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the dwelling had proven increasingly challenging to care for.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the attention and effort it so truly merits," commented the children of the initial owners.

They continued that the time had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also comprehends its position in the cultural history of LA and elsewhere."

Humble Origins

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the initial owners bought a hilly parcel of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a famous representation of the city, the residents often pointed out that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Challenge

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the summer months of 1956. However, many designers were initially wary to build it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the owners received financial aid to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "centered around experimentation" and "utilizing new materials and erecting in places that maybe earlier the engineering didn’t really allow," stated an expert from a city conservancy. "Each of these factors are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Famous Influence

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The outcome was "a perfect representation of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist noted.

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most famous image of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the photograph shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but appearing to float over the city skyline.

"I believe the enduring effect of the photograph is due to the way it conveys an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and detached from it," said a founder of an architectural firm and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Protected Designation

The home has had notable features in film, TV and music videos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was listed as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their release announcing the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The property description for the home emphasizes finding a buyer who will conserve the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, patrons of design, or organizations seeking to protect an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing read. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next guardian who will celebrate the house’s past, respect its architectural purity, and secure its preservation for posterity."

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

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And do they understand and appreciate the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"