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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern design, is up for sale for the initial occasion in its whole history.

This cantilevered home, situated in the Hollywood Hills, was listed on the listings this recent week. The listing price stands at a notable $25 million.

Stewards Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its entire 65-year history, issued a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They noted that the property had become too difficult to upkeep.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become more difficult to care for it with the dedication and energy it so richly deserves," commented the descendants of the original owners.

They continued that the moment had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only values its architectural significance but also comprehends its position in the cultural fabric of LA and elsewhere."

Unassuming Inception

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

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known symbol of the city, the residents often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Construction Challenge

The initial design for the Stahl house was developed during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were initially wary to build it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, spearheaded by a leading magazine editor, the family received support to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "was about trial and error" and "utilizing new resources and building in locations that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really allow," commented an specialist from a local preservation society. "Each of these factors are combined into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Finalization and Cultural Impact

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

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer captured what is possibly the most iconic image of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the photo shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting effect of this photo is due to the way it communicates an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and detached from it," commented a principal of an architectural practice and educator at a prominent university.

Historic Status

The home has enjoyed notable features in film, television and music videos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was added as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Ownership

The home remains open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before ending the tours.

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

"For enthusiasts of style, patrons of architecture, or organizations seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply no parallel," the listing read. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a quest for the next steward who will honor the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and guarantee its preservation for generations to come."

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

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is transferring hands of a home like this, it always causes a little bit of a concern – because you never know what the next owner, what their plans will be. And will they grasp and appreciate the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"