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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of modernist architectural design, is up for sale for the very first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered dwelling, perched in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the listings this recent week. The price tag stands at an impressive $25 million.

Family Move to Part With

The Stahl family, who have held title to the home for its complete 65-year timeline, shared a announcement regarding their decision to sell. They noted that the property had become excessively demanding to maintain.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become more difficult to maintain it with the attention and energy it so richly deserves," commented the descendants of the original owners.

They added that the time had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only values its architectural significance but also understands its role in the cultural history of the city and further afield."

Modest Inception

The origins of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners acquired a hilly plot of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known icon of the city, the residents often emphasized that "no celebrities ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Challenge

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

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to accept the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the owners received support to engage Koenig.

The modernist program "was about innovation" and "using new building materials and erecting in places that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really permit," commented an specialist from a local heritage organization. "Each of these factors are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Famous Influence

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and construction commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist added.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most iconic photograph of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photograph features two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the LA skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing impact of that photo is due to the way it communicates an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and removed from it," stated a principal of an architectural firm and educator at a prominent university.

Historic Status

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

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was added as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home continues to be open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their release announcing the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

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

"For collectors of style, advocates of building, or organizations seeking to protect an American masterpiece, there is simply no equal," the details state. "This is not merely a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next guardian who will respect the house’s legacy, appreciate its original vision, and ensure its conservation for posterity."

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

"In my view any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is transferring hands of a home like this, it always creates a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And can they comprehend and cherish the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"