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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern architecture, is now available for the first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the listings this past week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Stewards Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have held title to the home for its entire 65-year existence, released a announcement regarding their choice to sell. They stated that the dwelling had become increasingly challenging to maintain.

"This home has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the dedication and effort it so rightfully warrants," stated the descendants of the initial owners.

They added that the period had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its design legacy but also comprehends its place in the cultural history of the city and further afield."

Unassuming Inception

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

Despite the Stahl house becoming a famous symbol of the city, the residents often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Construction Challenge

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the summer of 1956. However, many architects were initially hesitant to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to accept the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, spearheaded by a key magazine editor, the family received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The contemporary program "was about trial and error" and "utilizing new building materials and constructing in sites that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really allow," stated an authority from a city conservancy. "All these elements are combined into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was erected on that site that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Cultural Influence

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction amounted to "a mere $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the authority noted.

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

"I believe the long-standing influence of this image is due to the way it conveys an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both metropolitan and separate from it," stated a principal of an architectural company and educator at a leading university.

Protected Status

The home has enjoyed notable cameos in cinema, broadcast and 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 conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all tours are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before stopping the tours.

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

"For enthusiasts of design, supporters of building, or organizations seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the listing state. "This is not merely a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s history, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its conservation for posterity."

The authority concurred that the decision of new owner would be a critical one, given the home’s history.

"I believe any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a home like this, it always causes a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they comprehend and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"