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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern design, is up for sale for the first time in its whole history.

This cantilevered residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the market this week. The listing price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Owners Choice to Part With

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its full 65-year timeline, shared a statement regarding their decision to sell. They stated that the property had grown excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This home has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the dedication and vigor it so rightfully warrants," wrote the descendants of the original owners.

They continued that the period had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also grasps its place in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and beyond."

Unassuming Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the first owners acquired a hilly plot of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a famous representation of the city, the residents often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Design Undertaking

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

In November 1957, the Stahls met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the project. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, spearheaded by a prominent magazine editor, the family received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The modernist program "was about trial and error" and "using new building materials and building in sites that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really allow," stated an specialist from a regional preservation society. "All those things are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was erected on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the family, construction amounted to "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the authority added.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most famous image of the home. Taken through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image shows two women seated in the home’s living room but seeming to float over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting influence of this photograph is due to the way it conveys an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and separate from it," stated a founder of an architectural firm and adjunct professor at a major university.

Cultural Recognition

The home has enjoyed notable appearances in film, TV and 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 included as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Custodianship

The home continues to be open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their statement announcing the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before ending the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will maintain the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, patrons of architecture, or entities seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply no parallel," the description read. "This goes beyond a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s history, value its design integrity, and guarantee its conservation for generations to come."

The specialist concurred that the selection of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s legacy.

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a home like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And will they understand and cherish the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"