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

This overhanging home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, hit the listings this week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Family Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year existence, issued a statement regarding their decision to sell. They stated that the dwelling had become increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This house has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to look after it with the dedication and energy it so rightfully warrants," commented the descendants of the initial owners.

They continued that the period had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only values its architectural significance but also grasps its place in the cultural fabric of LA and further afield."

Humble Origins

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

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

Architectural Feat

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

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to take on the challenge. With backing from the influential Case Study program, pioneered by a prominent magazine editor, the family received support to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "centered around innovation" and "employing new resources and building in locations that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really permit," commented an specialist from a city conservancy. "Each of these factors are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was erected on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Realization and Iconic Impact

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

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer took what is perhaps the most well-known image of the home. Taken through the full-length glass windows, the photograph features two women seated in the home’s living room but appearing to float over the LA skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting effect of that photograph is due to the way it communicates an idea about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and detached from it," stated a founder of an architectural practice and lecturer at a leading university.

Cultural Status

The home has had historic features in film, broadcast and videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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

Coming Custodianship

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all appointments are currently sold out through February. In their release announcing the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

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

"For connoisseurs of design, advocates of design, or institutions seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the listing state. "This is not merely a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next custodian who will respect the house’s legacy, appreciate its design integrity, and secure its protection for posterity."

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

"I believe any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And will they comprehend and cherish the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"