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The renowned Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern design, is now available for the initial occasion in its complete history.

This overhanging home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, hit the market this past week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Stewards Decision to Part With

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year existence, shared a declaration regarding their choice to sell. They noted that the dwelling had proven too difficult to maintain.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for decades, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the care and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the offspring of the initial owners.

They added that the moment had arrived to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural importance but also understands its place in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and beyond."

Modest Origins

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the initial owners acquired a mountainous plot of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known symbol of the city, the family often emphasized that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "working-class family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Construction Undertaking

The first design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer of 1956. However, many designers were at first reluctant to construct it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the family consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, spearheaded by a key magazine editor, the family received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on trial and error" and "utilizing new resources and erecting in locations that maybe earlier the technology didn’t really allow," remarked an authority from a city preservation society. "All those things are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "just $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The outcome was "the ultimate vision of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the authority added.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer took what is arguably the most famous picture of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the photo depicts two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to float over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing effect of this photograph is due to the way it conveys an concept about dwelling in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and separate from it," said a founder of an architectural company and educator at a leading university.

Protected Recognition

The home has enjoyed notable cameos in cinema, TV and promos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was added as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

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

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

"For collectors of architecture, advocates of architecture, or entities seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the details say. "This is not merely a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next guardian who will respect the house’s history, appreciate its original vision, and guarantee its protection for generations to come."

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

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a pause – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And do they grasp and cherish the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"