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The renowned Stahl house, a epitome of modernist design, is now available for the very first time in its whole history.

This suspended residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, hit the listings this recent week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its full 65-year existence, issued a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the house had become too difficult to maintain.

"This residence has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and energy it so truly merits," stated the descendants of the first owners.

They further stated that the time had arrived to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only recognizes its design legacy but also grasps its role in the cultural landscape of the city and elsewhere."

Modest Inception

The inception of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the original owners bought a mountainous patch of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

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

Design Undertaking

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

In November 1957, the Stahls met with architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to undertake the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the family received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around experimentation" and "utilizing new building materials and constructing in places that maybe before the technology didn’t really allow," commented an expert from a regional heritage organization. "All these elements are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Cultural Influence

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and construction began in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the authority commented.

Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer shot what is possibly the most iconic photograph of the home. Taken through the full-length glass windows, the photo depicts two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing influence of the photograph is due to the way it expresses an notion about dwelling in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and detached from it," said a founder of an architectural practice and lecturer at a leading university.

Historic Recognition

The home has made notable cameos in cinema, broadcast and videos, including several well-known 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 added as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Ownership

The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently fully booked through February. In their release regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The property description for the home highlights finding a purchaser who will conserve the character of the space.

"For connoisseurs of style, advocates of architecture, or entities seeking to protect an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable," the details state. "This is not merely a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next custodian who will respect the house’s history, appreciate its architectural purity, and secure its preservation for future generations."

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

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is changing ownership of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And can they understand and value the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"