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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern design, is currently listed for the very first time in its complete history.

This overhanging residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the real estate market this week. The asking price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Stewards Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its complete 65-year history, shared a declaration regarding their decision to sell. They stated that the house had grown too difficult to upkeep.

"This house has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the care and effort it so truly merits," wrote the descendants of the original owners.

They continued that the period had arrived to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only values its architectural significance but also grasps its role in the cultural fabric of the city and beyond."

Modest Beginnings

The inception of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the original owners acquired a mountainous parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a renowned symbol of the city, the family often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," describing themselves as a "working-class family living in a white-collar house."

Design Challenge

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

In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to undertake the task. With backing from the notable Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "was about trial and error" and "utilizing new building materials and building in locations that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," stated an authority from a local preservation society. "All those things are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Iconic Legacy

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

Soon after construction was finished, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is possibly the most well-known picture of the home. Captured through the full-length glass windows, the photograph depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but appearing to hover over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting influence of the image is due to the way it communicates an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and removed from it," said a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Historic Designation

The home has enjoyed notable cameos in cinema, television and music videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was listed as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Custodianship

The home is still open for visits, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all appointments are currently sold out through February. In their release announcing the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before stopping the tours.

The property description for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will preserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, patrons of design, or organizations seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable," the description read. "This is more than a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a hunt for the next steward who will honor the house’s legacy, value its original vision, and guarantee its protection for future generations."

The expert affirmed that the selection of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s history.

"I believe any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship 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 can they grasp and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"