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The renowned Stahl house, a quintessential example of midcentury modern architecture, is currently listed for the very first time in its complete history.

This cantilevered dwelling, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the listings this week. The listing price stands at a substantial $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 choice to sell. They stated that the property had proven increasingly challenging to care for.

"This home has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become more difficult to care for it with the dedication and effort it so truly merits," commented the descendants of the initial owners.

They continued that the period had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only values its design legacy but also grasps its position in the cultural history of LA and beyond."

Unassuming Inception

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

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known representation of the city, the owners often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Undertaking

The initial design for the Stahl house was conceived during the summer months of 1956. However, many architects were initially hesitant to build it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the project. With backing from the notable Case Study program, spearheaded by a key magazine editor, the Stahls received support to hire Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around trial and error" and "employing new resources and constructing in sites that maybe previously the technology didn’t really allow," stated an expert from a city preservation society. "Each of these factors are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that location that everyone else believed, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Famous Influence

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the authority noted.

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most well-known image of the home. Captured through the enormous glass windows, the photograph depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the LA skyline.

"I think the long-standing effect of the photograph is due to the way it expresses an idea about dwelling in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and separate from it," said a founder of an architectural practice and lecturer at a prominent university.

Historic Designation

The home has had notable appearances in film, broadcast and 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 listed as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home continues to be open for visits, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family indicated they would give "sufficient warning" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will conserve the character of the space.

"For collectors of design, advocates of architecture, or entities seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing say. "This goes beyond a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next guardian who will honor the house’s past, appreciate its design integrity, and ensure its preservation for posterity."

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

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always causes a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they comprehend and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"