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The renowned Stahl house, a paragon of modernist design, is currently listed for the first time in its complete history.

This overhanging home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, was listed on the listings this week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Stewards Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its entire 65-year existence, issued a declaration regarding their decision to sell. They stated that the house had proven too difficult to upkeep.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to look after it with the attention and energy it so richly deserves," stated the offspring of the original owners.

They further stated that the period had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also comprehends its place in the cultural history of LA and further afield."

Modest Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house becoming a famous icon of the city, the family often stressed that "no celebrities ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Challenge

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

In November 1957, the family consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the family received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The modernist program "focused on experimentation" and "utilizing new building materials and erecting in places that maybe before the engineering didn’t really allow," stated an authority from a city conservancy. "All these elements are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Realization and Iconic Influence

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

Soon after the build ended, a famous architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most famous image of the home. Captured through the full-length glass windows, the image shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to float over the city skyline.

"I believe the lasting impact of this image is due to the way it communicates an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both metropolitan and detached from it," said a principal of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Protected Status

The home has enjoyed memorable features in film, television and promos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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

Next Stewardship

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all tours are currently sold out through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The sales details for the home highlights finding a buyer who will conserve the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, patrons of building, or entities seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply no equal," the details say. "This is not merely a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next steward who will honor the house’s legacy, value its architectural purity, and secure its preservation for generations to come."

The specialist affirmed that the decision of purchaser would be a critical one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a residence 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 can they grasp and cherish the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"