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The celebrated Stahl house, a epitome of modernist design, is now available for the first time in its complete history.

This overhanging dwelling, perched in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the listings this past week. The price tag stands at an impressive $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its complete 65-year existence, released a declaration regarding their choice to sell. They expressed that the house had grown excessively demanding to maintain.

"This home has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the care and vigor it so rightfully warrants," commented the descendants of the original owners.

They further stated that the time had arrived to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural importance but also comprehends its position in the cultural landscape of the city and beyond."

Modest Inception

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners bought a hilly plot of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned icon of the city, the residents often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "working-class family living in a luxury house."

Construction Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the warm season of 1956. However, many builders were initially wary to erect it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the project. With support from the notable Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the family received subsidies to hire Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around trial and error" and "utilizing new materials and erecting in sites that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really allow," stated an specialist from a city heritage organization. "All those things are wrapped up into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Famous Influence

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the family, construction cost "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "the ultimate vision of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist added.

Soon after the build ended, a famous architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most well-known photograph of the home. Captured through the enormous glass windows, the photo depicts two women sitting in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the LA skyline.

"I believe the enduring impact of the photo is due to the way it conveys an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and separate from it," stated a principal of an architectural firm and lecturer at a prominent university.

Protected Designation

The home has made notable cameos in film, TV and promos, including several famous 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.

Next Ownership

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently sold out through February. In their statement concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "sufficient warning" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will maintain the spirit of the space.

"For connoisseurs of design, supporters of architecture, or entities seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the details read. "This is not merely a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next steward who will honor the house’s legacy, appreciate its original vision, and guarantee its preservation for posterity."

The expert concurred that the choice of buyer would be a vital one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is being sold of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they understand and value the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"