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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of midcentury modern architecture, is now available for the first time in its whole history.

This cantilevered home, situated in the Hollywood Hills, was listed on the real estate market this week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Choice to Sell

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

"This house has been the center of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the care and vigor it so richly deserves," wrote the descendants of the original owners.

They further stated that the time had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its design legacy but also comprehends its position in the cultural landscape of the city and beyond."

Modest Origins

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

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

Design Undertaking

The first design for the Stahl house was developed during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were at first wary to build it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the project. With backing from the influential Case Study program, spearheaded by a key magazine editor, the owners received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "was about innovation" and "employing new resources and erecting in locations that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really permit," remarked an specialist from a regional preservation society. "All these elements are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Iconic Legacy

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

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most famous 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 city skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing influence of that image is due to the way it communicates an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and detached from it," said a principal of an architectural practice and educator at a prominent university.

Historic Designation

The home has had historic cameos in film, TV and music 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 protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home continues to be open for tours, 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 ending the tours.

The listing for the home highlights finding a buyer who will preserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, supporters of design, or institutions seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the details read. "This is not merely a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next custodian who will honor the house’s history, appreciate its original vision, and secure its protection for future generations."

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

"I believe any time a original family, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership 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 can they understand and cherish the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"