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

This suspended residence, situated in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the market this past week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have owned the home for its full 65-year existence, issued a statement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the dwelling had become increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This home has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become progressively harder to care for it with the attention and vigor it so richly deserves," commented the offspring of the first owners.

They added that the period had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "a person who not only values its architectural significance but also understands its position in the cultural history of LA and beyond."

Humble Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the first owners purchased a hilly parcel of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned representation of the city, the residents often emphasized that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Construction Challenge

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

In November 1957, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to undertake the project. With support from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the owners received subsidies to hire Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around experimentation" and "utilizing new materials and erecting in places that maybe earlier the technology didn’t really enable," stated an expert from a local conservancy. "All those things are wrapped up into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was erected on that site that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the specialist commented.

Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer took what is possibly the most well-known photograph of the home. Captured through the full-length glass windows, the photo shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but appearing to float over the city skyline.

"I believe the long-standing influence of this photo is due to the way it communicates an idea about living in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both in the city and separate from it," stated a founder of an architectural firm and lecturer at a major university.

Cultural Recognition

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

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was included as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home continues to be open for visits, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before discontinuing the tours.

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

"For enthusiasts of style, advocates of architecture, or entities seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the description state. "This is not merely a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next guardian who will honor the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and secure its conservation for posterity."

The authority affirmed that the choice of buyer would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a residence like this, it always causes a little bit of a hesitation – because you never know what the next owner, what their plans will be. And can they grasp and cherish the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"