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The famous Stahl house, a paragon of midcentury modern architectural design, is up for sale for the first time in its complete history.

This suspended home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, was listed on the listings this recent week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Family Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have owned the property for its entire 65-year timeline, released a statement regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the dwelling had become increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This residence has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the offspring of the initial owners.

They further stated that the moment had arrived to find a new "custodian" for the house – "someone who not only values its design legacy but also understands its place in the cultural landscape of LA and elsewhere."

Unassuming Beginnings

The origins of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the first owners bought a hilly patch of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a renowned icon of the city, the residents often emphasized that "nobody famous ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a white-collar house."

Architectural Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was conceived during the summer months of 1956. However, many designers were at first reluctant to construct it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to accept the task. With backing from the prominent Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the owners received support to hire Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on innovation" and "employing new building materials and erecting in locations that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really allow," remarked an authority from a local preservation society. "All these elements are wrapped up into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else believed, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Cultural Impact

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

Soon after the build ended, a renowned architectural photographer took what is arguably the most famous image of the home. Taken through the full-length glass windows, the photograph depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but seeming to levitate over the LA skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing impact of that photograph is due to the way it conveys an idea about dwelling in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both in the city and detached from it," stated a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Historic Designation

The home has made 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 historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was included as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home continues to be open for public viewings, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all tours are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before discontinuing the tours.

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

"For enthusiasts of style, supporters of architecture, or institutions seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the description state. "This is not merely a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s past, respect its original vision, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

The specialist agreed that the selection of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s past.

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is changing ownership of a home like this, it always causes a little bit of a concern – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they comprehend and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"