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The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist design, is now available for the very first time in its whole history.

This overhanging residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, was listed on the listings this week. The asking price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Owners Decision to Part With

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its complete 65-year history, issued a announcement regarding their decision to sell. They stated that the property had proven too difficult to upkeep.

"This residence has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the dedication and energy it so rightfully warrants," commented the children of the original owners.

They further stated that the moment had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "a person who not only recognizes its design legacy but also comprehends its position in the cultural history of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Unassuming Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house growing into a well-known representation of the city, the family often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a luxury house."

Design Undertaking

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

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the task. With backing from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "centered around experimentation" and "employing new building materials and constructing in sites that maybe before the engineering didn’t really allow," stated an authority from a local heritage organization. "All those things are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, modern and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Cultural Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert commented.

Soon after completion, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most famous image of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to hover over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing impact of this image is due to the way it communicates an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and separate from it," commented a head of an architectural firm and educator at a prominent university.

Cultural Status

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 recognized the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was added as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home remains open for public viewings, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all tours are currently fully booked through February. In their release regarding the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before stopping the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will preserve the spirit of the space.

"For collectors of design, supporters of building, or organizations seeking to preserve an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the listing say. "This is more than a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a quest for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s past, respect its architectural purity, and guarantee its protection for posterity."

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

"I think any time a original family, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a residence like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they understand and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"