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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of modernist architectural design, is currently listed for the first time in its complete history.

This cantilevered residence, situated in the Hollywood Hills, was listed on the market this past week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Part With

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its complete 65-year existence, released a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the property had grown increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for decades, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and vigor it so rightfully warrants," wrote the offspring of the initial owners.

They continued that the moment had come to find a new "custodian" for the house – "someone who not only recognizes its architectural importance but also understands its role in the cultural fabric of LA and beyond."

Unassuming Beginnings

The inception of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the initial owners bought a sloped patch of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

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

Design Challenge

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

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the project. With backing from the influential Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on trial and error" and "employing new materials and constructing in places that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really enable," commented an expert from a regional heritage organization. "Each of these factors are combined into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was erected on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Cultural Influence

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and construction commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most famous image of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the photo depicts two women sitting in the home’s living room but appearing to levitate over the LA skyline.

"I believe the lasting influence of the photo is due to the way it expresses an notion about dwelling in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and detached from it," stated a principal of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Historic Recognition

The home has made notable appearances in movies, television and promos, including several famous 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 included as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all tours are currently sold out through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The property description for the home stresses finding a buyer who will maintain the spirit of the space.

"For connoisseurs of style, patrons of architecture, or institutions seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the details read. "This is more than a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next steward who will honor the house’s legacy, respect its design integrity, and secure its protection for future generations."

The authority agreed that the decision of purchaser would be a crucial one, given the home’s history.

"I believe any time a original family, 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 do they understand and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"