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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of midcentury modern architectural design, is up for sale for the very first time in its whole history.

This suspended residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, was listed on the listings this week. The listing price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its complete 65-year history, issued a statement regarding their decision to sell. They noted that the dwelling had become excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This house has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to look after it with the attention and energy it so richly deserves," commented the descendants of the initial owners.

They further stated that the period had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also grasps its role in the cultural fabric of the city and elsewhere."

Humble Beginnings

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

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

Architectural Feat

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

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the challenge. With assistance from the influential Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "was about innovation" and "using new resources and erecting in places that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really enable," commented an authority from a regional heritage organization. "Each of these factors are wrapped up into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was erected on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Iconic Impact

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and construction began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The final product was "a perfect representation of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after the build ended, a renowned architectural photographer took what is possibly the most famous photograph of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the image depicts two women positioned in the home’s living room but appearing to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I think the long-standing impact of that photograph is due to the way it expresses an notion about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and separate from it," commented a principal of an architectural practice and educator at a major university.

Protected Recognition

The home has enjoyed notable appearances in movies, TV and music videos, including several famous 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 added as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home remains open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their release regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home emphasizes finding a new owner who will maintain the essence of the space.

"For collectors of design, supporters of design, or entities seeking to safeguard an national treasure, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing say. "This is more than a sale; it is a handover of custody – a hunt for the next steward who will celebrate the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

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

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a custodianship like this, is being sold of a property 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 comprehend and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"