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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist architecture, is currently listed for the first time in its complete history.

This overhanging home, situated in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the listings this past week. The listing price stands at a notable $25 million.

Family 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 choice to sell. They stated that the dwelling had become increasingly challenging to care for.

"This house has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve grown older, it has become more difficult to care for it with the dedication and energy it so truly merits," stated the children of the initial owners.

They further stated that the period had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also comprehends its place in the cultural landscape of the city and further afield."

Unassuming Beginnings

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

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a famous representation of the city, the owners often emphasized that "nobody famous ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Challenge

The initial design for the Stahl house was conceived during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were initially reluctant to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to undertake the task. With assistance from the influential Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the family received subsidies to hire Koenig.

The progressive program "was about experimentation" and "employing new materials and building in places that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really permit," commented an specialist from a regional preservation society. "Each of these factors are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Iconic Impact

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building began in May 1959. According to the family, construction amounted to "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert commented.

Soon after construction was finished, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most iconic picture of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the photograph shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the LA skyline.

"I think the enduring effect of this photograph is due to the way it communicates an concept about living in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both in the city and detached from it," stated a founder of an architectural practice and educator at a prominent university.

Historic Designation

The home has enjoyed notable features in cinema, broadcast and promos, including several famous 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 added as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Stewardship

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their announcement announcing the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before ending the tours.

The property description for the home stresses finding a new owner who will preserve the essence of the space.

"For collectors of design, supporters of building, or institutions seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the details read. "This goes beyond a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next guardian who will honor the house’s history, appreciate its architectural purity, and secure its protection for generations to come."

The expert affirmed that the selection of buyer would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a hesitation – because you never know what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they understand and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"