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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of midcentury modern architectural design, is up for sale for the very first time in its entire history.

This suspended home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the listings this past week. The listing price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Family Decision to Sell

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

"This house has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become progressively harder to care for it with the attention and energy it so truly merits," stated the offspring of the original owners.

They added that the time had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "a person who not only recognizes its design legacy but also grasps its position in the cultural fabric of LA and elsewhere."

Modest Origins

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

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

Design Challenge

The initial design for the Stahl house was conceived during the summer months of 1956. However, many designers were initially wary to erect it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the owners received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around innovation" and "employing new building materials and building in places that maybe previously the technology didn’t really permit," commented an authority from a city conservancy. "Each of these factors are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and unimaginable in terms of how it was built on that site that everyone else believed, at the time, was not feasible."

Realization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the residents, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "the ultimate vision of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the authority commented.

Soon after the build ended, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is possibly the most well-known picture of the home. Shot through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo shows two women seated in the home’s living room but appearing to float over the LA skyline.

"I think the long-standing effect of this photo is due to the way it conveys an notion about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both urban and detached from it," said a head of an architectural practice and lecturer at a prominent university.

Historic Status

The home has had notable features in cinema, TV and music videos, including several well-known 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 preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family said they would give "plenty of advance notice" before stopping the tours.

The sales details for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will maintain the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, patrons of architecture, or entities seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the description state. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next guardian who will celebrate the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and ensure its protection for future generations."

The expert concurred that the choice of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a home like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they comprehend and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"