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The renowned Stahl house, a paragon of mid-century modern design, is up for sale for the first time in its whole history.

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

Stewards Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the residence for its entire 65-year timeline, issued a statement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the house had proven too difficult to care for.

"This house has been the center 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 truly merits," stated the children of the original owners.

They further stated that the moment had come to find a new "custodian" for the house – "someone who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also comprehends its place in the cultural fabric of the city and elsewhere."

Humble Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the initial owners purchased a mountainous parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned icon of the city, the residents often emphasized that "no celebrities ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were originally hesitant to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to accept the project. With assistance from the influential Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The contemporary program "centered around trial and error" and "employing new materials and erecting in locations that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really allow," stated an expert from a local conservancy. "All these elements are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Finalization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the family, construction amounted to "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the specialist noted.

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most iconic image of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I think the enduring impact of that photo is due to the way it conveys an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both urban and separate from it," stated a founder of an architectural company and educator at a major university.

Cultural Designation

The home has had historic features in movies, broadcast and promos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was included as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Stewardship

The home remains open for public viewings, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before stopping the tours.

The sales details for the home emphasizes finding a buyer who will maintain the essence of the space.

"For connoisseurs of architecture, supporters of building, or organizations seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply no equal," the details state. "This is more than a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a quest for the next steward who will honor the house’s past, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its conservation for posterity."

The specialist affirmed that the selection of buyer would be a critical one, given the home’s history.

"In my view any time a original family, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a residence 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 can they comprehend and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"