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The renowned Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist architectural design, is now available for the initial occasion in its entire history.

This overhanging home, perched in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, was listed on the market this week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Owners Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the residence for its entire 65-year existence, issued a statement regarding their choice to sell. They expressed that the dwelling had become too difficult to upkeep.

"This house has been the core of our lives for decades, but as we’ve grown older, it has become more difficult to look after it with the care and energy it so rightfully warrants," wrote the offspring of the first owners.

They further stated that the moment had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also understands its role in the cultural history of LA and beyond."

Unassuming Beginnings

The beginnings of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the first owners purchased a sloped parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned symbol of the city, the residents often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Feat

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer of 1956. However, many designers were initially reluctant to erect it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the project. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "was about innovation" and "employing new materials and constructing in sites that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," stated an authority from a regional preservation society. "All these elements are combined into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert noted.

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

"I think the lasting influence of this image is due to the way it communicates an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and separate from it," stated a head of an architectural company and educator at a major university.

Protected Status

The home has made historic cameos in film, TV and music videos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was added as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Ownership

The home continues to be open for public viewings, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before stopping the tours.

The listing for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will maintain the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, supporters of design, or organizations seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the details read. "This is more than a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next steward who will respect the house’s history, appreciate its architectural purity, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

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

"I believe any time a original family, and a stewardship 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 will they grasp and cherish the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"