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

This cantilevered home, situated in the Hollywood Hills area, hit the listings this past week. The price tag stands at an impressive $25 million.

Owners Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its complete 65-year history, released a declaration regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the property had become too difficult to maintain.

"This home has been the center of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve aged, it has become more difficult to care for it with the attention and energy it so truly merits," commented the offspring of the first owners.

They further stated that the time had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also grasps its role in the cultural history of the city and further afield."

Humble Beginnings

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

Despite the Stahl house becoming a renowned symbol of the city, the residents often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Feat

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the warm season of 1956. However, many designers were initially hesitant to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the challenge. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The contemporary program "centered around trial and error" and "utilizing new building materials and building in locations that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," remarked an authority from a regional preservation society. "All those things are wrapped up into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was erected on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist commented.

Soon after completion, a famous architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most well-known picture of the home. Taken through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the city skyline.

"I think the lasting effect of this image is due to the way it communicates an notion about dwelling in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and separate from it," said a founder of an architectural company and educator at a major university.

Cultural Designation

The home has enjoyed historic features in cinema, broadcast and promos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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

Coming Ownership

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all appointments are currently reserved through February. In their announcement announcing the sale, the family said they would give "plenty of advance notice" before ending the tours.

The listing for the home highlights finding a new owner who will conserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, supporters of building, or institutions seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable," the details say. "This is more than a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s history, value its original vision, and guarantee its preservation for posterity."

The specialist affirmed that the choice of purchaser would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"In my view any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they understand and appreciate the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"