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The renowned Stahl house, a epitome of modernist design, is up for sale for the initial occasion in its complete history.

This cantilevered dwelling, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the listings this past week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Family Choice to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have owned the home for its full 65-year existence, shared a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the house had become increasingly challenging to maintain.

"This residence has been the center of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the dedication and vigor it so richly deserves," wrote the children of the initial owners.

They continued that the period had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its design legacy but also comprehends its position in the cultural landscape of the city and beyond."

Humble Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous symbol of the city, the family often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Feat

The original design for the Stahl house was developed during the warm season of 1956. However, many designers were initially hesitant to construct it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to take on the project. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the family received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "was about trial and error" and "utilizing new materials and constructing in sites that maybe earlier the engineering didn’t really enable," stated an authority from a local preservation society. "All these elements are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was erected on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Realization and Cultural Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after completion, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is possibly the most iconic image of the home. Captured through the full-length glass windows, the image depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to float over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring effect of this image is due to the way it expresses an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and separate from it," stated a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Protected Designation

The home has enjoyed memorable appearances in movies, TV and promos, including several well-known 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 listed as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their statement announcing the sale, the family said they would give "ample notice" before discontinuing the tours.

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

"For connoisseurs of design, patrons of design, or organizations seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing read. "This is not merely a sale; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next custodian who will respect the house’s legacy, appreciate its design integrity, and ensure its preservation for posterity."

The authority agreed that the selection of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a residence like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you never know what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they grasp and value the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"