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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist architectural design, is up for sale for the first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered dwelling, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the real estate market this past week. The asking price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Part With

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year timeline, released a announcement regarding their decision to sell. They noted that the property had grown excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become progressively harder to maintain it with the dedication and energy it so richly deserves," commented the children of the initial owners.

They continued that the moment had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only values its architectural importance but also comprehends its role in the cultural history of Los Angeles and further afield."

Unassuming Inception

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the initial owners acquired a hilly patch of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known representation of the city, the owners often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Construction Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were originally reluctant to build it on the challenging hillside.

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

The contemporary program "centered around experimentation" and "employing new building materials and constructing in places that maybe earlier the engineering didn’t really allow," commented an specialist from a city preservation society. "All those things are wrapped up into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was erected on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction cost "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after the build ended, a famous architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most iconic photograph of the home. Shot through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo depicts two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to float over the LA skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing impact of that image is due to the way it conveys an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both in the city and removed from it," stated a head of an architectural company and educator at a leading university.

Historic Designation

The home has enjoyed memorable appearances in movies, broadcast and videos, including several well-known 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 listed as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before stopping the tours.

The sales details for the home stresses finding a new owner who will preserve the character of the space.

"For collectors of style, advocates of building, or institutions seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply no equal," the listing say. "This is more than a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next steward who will respect the house’s legacy, appreciate its architectural purity, and secure its protection for generations to come."

The authority agreed that the decision 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 transferring hands of a residence like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they comprehend and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"