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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern architecture, is up for sale for the first time in its complete history.

This cantilevered dwelling, situated in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the listings this week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Move to Part With

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the property for its complete 65-year existence, released a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the property had grown too difficult to upkeep.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become more difficult to care for it with the care and vigor it so richly deserves," commented the descendants of the first owners.

They further stated that the period had come to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only appreciates its design legacy but also grasps its role in the cultural history of LA and beyond."

Unassuming Inception

The inception of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the initial owners purchased a hilly patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned symbol of the city, the family often pointed out that "nobody famous ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Challenge

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

In November 1957, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the project. With backing from the influential Case Study program, spearheaded by a leading magazine editor, the family received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "centered around experimentation" and "using new resources and constructing in locations that maybe before the techniques didn’t really permit," stated an expert from a city preservation society. "Each of these factors are combined into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Famous Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and building began in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the authority noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most famous photograph of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the photo shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to float over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I believe the enduring effect of the photo is due to the way it conveys an idea about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and separate from it," commented a founder of an architectural firm and educator at a leading university.

Protected Status

The home has made historic appearances in film, television and videos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was included as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Ownership

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

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

"For enthusiasts of design, supporters of building, or organizations seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply no equal," the description state. "This is more than a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a search for the next steward who will respect the house’s legacy, respect its architectural purity, and secure its preservation for future generations."

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

"In my view any time a original family, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a home like this, it always causes a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they grasp and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"