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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern architectural design, is up for sale for the very first time in its whole history.

This suspended home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the market this recent week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Family Choice to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have owned the home for its full 65-year existence, released a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They noted that the property had proven increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This house has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to care for it with the attention and energy it so truly merits," wrote the children of the initial owners.

They added that the time had arrived to find a new "guardian" for the house – "a person who not only values its architectural significance but also grasps its role in the cultural history of LA and further afield."

Humble Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous symbol of the city, the owners often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Architectural Undertaking

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

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the task. With assistance from the influential Case Study program, spearheaded by a leading magazine editor, the Stahls received support to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "was about trial and error" and "employing new resources and erecting in places that maybe earlier the technology didn’t really allow," stated an specialist from a local heritage organization. "All these elements are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was not feasible."

Finalization and Famous Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most iconic picture of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photograph depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but appearing to hover over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing impact of that photo is due to the way it conveys an notion about living in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both metropolitan and detached from it," commented a head of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Cultural Recognition

The home has made notable appearances in movies, television and music videos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was listed as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

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

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

"For enthusiasts of style, advocates of building, or entities seeking to protect an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the listing state. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next guardian who will honor the house’s past, appreciate its original vision, and secure its preservation for future generations."

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

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a hesitation – because you never know what the next owner, what their aims will be. And can they grasp and cherish the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"