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

This suspended residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, hit the market this recent week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its entire 65-year timeline, released a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the dwelling had grown excessively demanding to care for.

"This residence has been the heart of our lives for decades, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to care for it with the dedication and energy it so truly merits," wrote the children of the first owners.

They continued that the time had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only values its design legacy but also comprehends its role in the cultural history of LA and elsewhere."

Unassuming Origins

The origins of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the first owners purchased a mountainous parcel of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned representation of the city, the residents often stressed that "no celebrities ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Design Challenge

The original design for the Stahl house was created during the summer of 1956. However, many architects were initially reluctant to erect it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the project. With support from the prominent Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "was about trial and error" and "using new materials and erecting in locations that maybe before the technology didn’t really allow," remarked an authority from a city heritage organization. "All those things are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was erected on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Cultural Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and building began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert added.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer took what is perhaps the most well-known image of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the photograph depicts two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the city skyline.

"I think the long-standing influence of this photograph is due to the way it conveys an notion about dwelling in Los Angeles, an duality about being both urban and removed from it," stated a principal of an architectural company and lecturer at a prominent university.

Protected Status

The home has enjoyed notable appearances in film, TV and promos, 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 listed as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

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

The sales details for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will maintain the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, patrons of architecture, or entities seeking to preserve an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the description say. "This goes beyond a sale; it is a handover of custody – a search for the next guardian who will celebrate the house’s history, appreciate its original vision, and ensure its preservation for generations to come."

The expert concurred that the decision of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"In my view any time a original family, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a home like this, it always causes a little bit of a pause – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they grasp and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"