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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist architectural design, is now available for the very first time in its whole history.

This cantilevered dwelling, situated in the Hollywood Hills, was listed on the real estate market this week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the residence for its complete 65-year timeline, released a declaration regarding their choice to sell. They expressed that the property had become too difficult to upkeep.

"This home has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the dedication and vigor it so rightfully warrants," wrote the children of the original owners.

They added that the moment had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "someone who not only values its architectural significance but also comprehends its role in the cultural landscape of the city and elsewhere."

Unassuming Beginnings

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

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known representation of the city, the family often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Construction Challenge

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

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the challenge. With backing from the notable Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the owners received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "focused on innovation" and "utilizing new materials and constructing in sites that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," remarked an specialist from a regional preservation society. "All these elements are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Finalization and Iconic Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the specialist added.

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most iconic image of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the photo features two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to float over the city skyline.

"I believe the long-standing influence of the photograph is due to the way it conveys an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and detached from it," said a founder of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Historic Status

The home has enjoyed historic features in cinema, television and videos, including several well-known 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 listed as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their statement concerning the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home highlights finding a buyer who will maintain the spirit of the space.

"For connoisseurs of architecture, advocates of design, or institutions seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the details say. "This is more than a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next guardian who will honor the house’s past, value its architectural purity, and secure its protection for posterity."

The specialist concurred that the selection of purchaser would be a critical one, given the home’s past.

"In my view any time a original family, and a custodianship like this, is being sold of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And will they understand and appreciate the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"