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

This suspended dwelling, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, hit the real estate market this recent week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Family Choice to Sell

The Stahl family, who have owned the home for its entire 65-year existence, shared a statement regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the dwelling had proven excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This house has been the core of our lives for decades, but as we’ve grown older, it has become more difficult to maintain it with the attention and vigor it so richly deserves," stated the children of the initial owners.

They continued that the time had come to find a new "custodian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its design legacy but also comprehends its place in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Humble Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the original owners purchased a sloped patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a well-known representation of the city, the family often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer of 1956. However, many designers were initially reluctant to construct it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to undertake the task. With support from the prominent Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received financial aid to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "centered around innovation" and "utilizing new resources and building in sites that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really allow," stated an expert from a local heritage organization. "Each of these factors are combined into a property like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that site that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and construction began in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "only $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most well-known image of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the image features two women sitting in the home’s living room but seeming to float over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I believe the enduring effect of that photograph is due to the way it conveys an concept about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and removed from it," said a head of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Protected Status

The home has enjoyed historic cameos in cinema, television and music videos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was listed as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home continues to be open for public viewings, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all appointments are currently reserved through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family said they would give "ample notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will conserve the essence of the space.

"For collectors of design, advocates of design, or institutions seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply nothing comparable," the details read. "This is more than a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next steward who will respect the house’s history, value its original vision, and secure its protection for future generations."

The authority concurred that the choice of purchaser would be a critical one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a original family, and a custodianship like this, is transferring hands of a home like this, it always creates a little bit of a pause – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they understand and cherish the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"