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

This overhanging home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, was listed on the real estate market this week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Stewards Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its full 65-year history, issued a statement regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the house had grown increasingly challenging to care for.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for many years, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the dedication and effort it so rightfully warrants," commented the offspring of the initial owners.

They continued that the time had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only values its design legacy but also comprehends its position in the cultural fabric of the city and beyond."

Unassuming Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house becoming a famous icon of the city, the family often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Architectural Challenge

The initial design for the Stahl house was created during the summer of 1956. However, many designers were initially hesitant to construct it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the project. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, spearheaded by a leading magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "was about innovation" and "using new materials and erecting in sites that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really allow," remarked an expert from a regional heritage organization. "Each of these factors are combined into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Finalization and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the residents, construction cost "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the authority noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is possibly the most well-known picture of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the photo features two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to float over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting effect of that photo is due to the way it conveys an notion about dwelling in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and removed from it," stated a head of an architectural firm and educator at a leading university.

Protected Recognition

The home has made notable features in cinema, broadcast and videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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

Next Ownership

The home continues to be open for visits, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all tours are currently fully booked through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "sufficient warning" before discontinuing the tours.

The property description for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will conserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, patrons of design, or entities seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable," the details read. "This is not merely a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a hunt for the next steward who will celebrate the house’s past, value its design integrity, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

The specialist concurred that the choice of buyer would be a critical one, given the home’s legacy.

"I believe any time a original family, and a guardianship like this, is transferring hands of a home like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they grasp and cherish the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"