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The celebrated Stahl house, a epitome of modernist architecture, is now available for the very first time in its whole history.

This overhanging residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the real estate market this past week. The listing price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Stewards Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the property for its full 65-year timeline, shared a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the house had grown excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for decades, but as we’ve aged, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the care and vigor it so richly deserves," commented the children of the initial owners.

They continued that the moment had come to find a new "custodian" for the house – "an individual who not only appreciates its design legacy but also grasps its role in the cultural history of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Unassuming Beginnings

The origins of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the initial owners purchased a sloped patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned representation of the city, the family often emphasized that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a white-collar house."

Architectural Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was conceived during the warm season of 1956. However, many designers were at first hesitant to construct it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to accept the project. With support from the notable Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the family received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The modernist program "was about innovation" and "utilizing new materials and erecting in places that maybe earlier the technology didn’t really allow," commented an expert from a regional conservancy. "All these elements are wrapped up into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and unimaginable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and construction began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction amounted to "only $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "the ultimate vision of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the authority commented.

Soon after completion, a famous architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most well-known image of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo features two women sitting in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the LA skyline.

"I think the enduring impact of the photo is due to the way it conveys an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and removed from it," stated a head of an architectural firm and educator at a major university.

Historic Recognition

The home has enjoyed historic cameos in film, TV and videos, 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.

Future Custodianship

The home is still open for visits, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all slots are currently fully booked through February. In their release regarding the sale, the family said they would give "ample notice" before discontinuing the tours.

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

"For enthusiasts of architecture, patrons of building, or institutions seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing state. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next steward who will honor the house’s legacy, respect its design integrity, and ensure its protection for future generations."

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

"In my view any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always causes a little bit of a pause – because you never know what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they grasp and cherish the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"