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The celebrated Stahl house, a paragon of midcentury modern architecture, is now available for the very first time in its entire history.

This overhanging home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the market this recent week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Sell

The Stahl family, who have owned the residence for its full 65-year history, released a declaration regarding their choice to sell. They stated that the property had become excessively demanding to care for.

"This house has been the core of our lives for decades, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to look after it with the dedication and vigor it so rightfully warrants," commented the children of the original owners.

They continued that the moment had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "a person who not only values its architectural significance but also grasps its role in the cultural history of the city and beyond."

Modest Beginnings

The inception of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the original owners acquired a mountainous plot of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a famous symbol of the city, the family often emphasized that "no celebrities ever lived here," describing themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the summer months of 1956. However, many designers were originally reluctant to erect it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to engage Koenig.

The contemporary program "focused on experimentation" and "using new resources and building in places that maybe before the engineering didn’t really enable," remarked an specialist from a regional preservation society. "All these elements are combined into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, modern and unimaginable in terms of how it was erected on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist commented.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is possibly the most iconic image of the home. Taken through the full-length glass windows, the photo shows two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to hover over the LA skyline.

"I think the lasting influence of that image is due to the way it expresses an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and detached from it," commented a founder of an architectural firm and educator at a major university.

Historic Recognition

The home has enjoyed notable features in movies, television and promos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a heritage site, 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 tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their release regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The sales details for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will preserve the essence of the space.

"For collectors of style, patrons of architecture, or institutions seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the listing state. "This is not merely a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next steward who will honor the house’s history, value its design integrity, and guarantee its conservation for generations to come."

The authority agreed that the choice of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is transferring hands of a residence like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they grasp and appreciate the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"