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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist design, is currently listed for the very first time in its entire history.

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

Stewards Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its full 65-year history, released a statement regarding their choice to sell. They expressed that the house had grown increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This house has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the attention and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the descendants of the first owners.

They added that the time had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "an individual who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also grasps its position in the cultural history of LA and elsewhere."

Unassuming Origins

The beginnings of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners acquired a mountainous patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known symbol of the city, the family often pointed out that "no celebrities ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Feat

The original design for the Stahl house was created during the summer months of 1956. However, many builders were at first wary to build it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to take on the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the owners received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "centered around innovation" and "utilizing new resources and erecting in places that maybe before the engineering didn’t really enable," remarked an authority from a local conservancy. "All these elements are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Iconic Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the family, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert commented.

Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most well-known image of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the photograph features two women seated in the home’s living room but seeming to float over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring influence of this photograph is due to the way it communicates an idea about dwelling in Los Angeles, an duality about being both urban and separate from it," commented a founder of an architectural firm and educator at a major university.

Historic Designation

The home has made historic appearances in cinema, TV and promos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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

Next Stewardship

The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all slots are currently fully booked through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "sufficient warning" before stopping the tours.

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

"For collectors of style, advocates of design, or entities seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the description say. "This is not merely a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next steward who will respect the house’s history, appreciate its design integrity, and secure its preservation for generations to come."

The expert concurred that the choice of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s history.

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a pause – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they grasp and appreciate the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"