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

This overhanging residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, hit the real estate market this week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Family Decision to Part With

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the property for its complete 65-year existence, issued a statement regarding their choice to sell. They stated that the house had become too difficult to care for.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become more difficult to look after it with the care and energy it so rightfully warrants," stated the offspring of the initial owners.

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

Modest Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the original owners bought a hilly parcel of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a renowned representation of the city, the owners often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Construction Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer months of 1956. However, many builders were originally reluctant to construct it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to accept the project. With backing from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the family received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on experimentation" and "utilizing new building materials and constructing in locations that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really enable," remarked an authority from a city preservation society. "All those things are combined into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Cultural Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "a mere $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 expert added.

Soon after completion, a famous architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most iconic picture of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the image shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to float over the LA skyline.

"I believe the lasting impact of the photograph is due to the way it communicates an concept about dwelling in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and detached from it," said a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Protected Designation

The home has made memorable features in movies, broadcast and music videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was listed as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family said they would give "plenty of advance notice" before ending the tours.

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

"For collectors of architecture, patrons of architecture, or organizations seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the details read. "This is more than a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next steward who will respect the house’s legacy, respect its architectural purity, and secure its protection for generations to come."

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

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is transferring hands of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they grasp and cherish the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"