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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist architecture, is now available for the initial occasion in its entire history.

This overhanging residence, situated in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the real estate market this past week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its full 65-year history, shared a declaration regarding their choice to sell. They noted that the house had grown increasingly challenging to upkeep.

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

They continued that the moment had arrived to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only values its design legacy but also comprehends its position in the cultural landscape of the city and elsewhere."

Humble Inception

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

Despite the Stahl house growing into a renowned symbol of the city, the residents often stressed that "no celebrities ever lived here," describing themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Architectural Feat

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

In November 1957, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the task. With backing from the prominent Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around trial and error" and "using new building materials and constructing in places that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," stated an expert from a local conservancy. "Each of these factors are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unthinkable in terms of how it was erected on that site that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Cultural Influence

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building began in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "a perfect representation of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert commented.

Soon after completion, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most well-known image of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the photograph features two women positioned in the home’s living room but appearing to float over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting influence of the image is due to the way it expresses an notion about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and removed from it," stated a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Cultural Recognition

The home has enjoyed historic appearances in movies, broadcast and promos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was included as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Ownership

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all tours are currently sold out through February. In their statement concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before stopping the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a new owner who will conserve the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, advocates of building, or organizations seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply nothing comparable," the description say. "This goes beyond a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next guardian who will celebrate the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and ensure its protection for posterity."

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

"I believe any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their plans will be. And can they grasp and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"