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The renowned Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern architectural design, is now available for the very first time in its complete history.

This suspended dwelling, perched in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, hit the listings this recent week. The listing price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year existence, released a statement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the house had proven increasingly challenging to maintain.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the care and energy it so rightfully warrants," commented the offspring of the initial owners.

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

Humble Origins

The beginnings of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the first owners purchased a mountainous parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned icon of the city, the owners often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Feat

The initial design for the Stahl house was conceived during the summer of 1956. However, many architects were originally hesitant to construct it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to undertake the challenge. With backing from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a prominent magazine editor, the owners received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The progressive program "was about innovation" and "using new resources and erecting in sites that maybe earlier the technology didn’t really enable," stated an specialist from a city conservancy. "All those things are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Iconic Impact

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the family, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist commented.

Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer took what is possibly the most well-known image of the home. Taken through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photograph shows two women seated in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the city skyline.

"I believe the long-standing effect of this image is due to the way it communicates an idea about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and detached from it," stated a principal of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Cultural Recognition

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

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

Coming Stewardship

The home is still open for visits, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their announcement concerning the sale, the family indicated they would give "sufficient warning" before ending the tours.

The property description for the home emphasizes finding a buyer who will maintain the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, supporters of design, or organizations seeking to safeguard an national treasure, there is simply nothing comparable," the details read. "This goes beyond a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next custodian who will respect the house’s history, respect its original vision, and secure its preservation for posterity."

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

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a pause – because you never know what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they comprehend and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"