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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern architecture, is now available for the first time in its complete history.

This overhanging residence, situated in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the listings this recent week. The listing price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Family Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its complete 65-year existence, shared a statement regarding their choice to sell. They expressed that the dwelling had proven increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become progressively harder to maintain it with the care and effort it so richly deserves," commented the descendants of the initial owners.

They continued that the period had arrived to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only values its design legacy but also understands its place in the cultural landscape of the city and further afield."

Modest Beginnings

The origins of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the original owners bought a hilly parcel of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a famous representation of the city, the family often pointed out that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "average family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Challenge

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

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a prominent magazine editor, the family received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around experimentation" and "utilizing new resources and constructing in locations that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," remarked an authority from a regional heritage organization. "All these elements are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that site that everyone else believed, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Famous Influence

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the family, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The outcome was "the ultimate vision of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert commented.

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

"In my opinion the lasting effect of that photograph is due to the way it communicates an idea about dwelling in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and detached from it," said a principal of an architectural company and lecturer at a prominent university.

Cultural Recognition

The home has had historic appearances in movies, television and videos, 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 added as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently reserved through February. In their release announcing the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before ending the tours.

The property description for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will preserve the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, advocates of architecture, or entities seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable," the description say. "This is more than a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next steward who will celebrate the house’s past, value its original vision, and ensure its conservation for generations to come."

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

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a concern – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they grasp and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"