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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern design, is currently listed for the first time in its entire history.

This suspended residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, was listed on the market this recent week. The listing price stands at a notable $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the property for its full 65-year existence, released a announcement regarding their decision to sell. They noted that the property had proven increasingly challenging to maintain.

"This residence 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 dedication and vigor it so richly deserves," stated the descendants of the original owners.

They added that the period had arrived to find a new "steward" for the house – "someone who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also understands its role in the cultural fabric of the city and further afield."

Humble Origins

The inception of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the original owners bought a sloped patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a renowned icon of the city, the family often pointed out that "no celebrities ever lived here," describing themselves as a "average family living in a white-collar house."

Design Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was conceived during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were originally hesitant to build it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the challenge. With support from the influential Case Study program, spearheaded by a leading magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "centered around experimentation" and "utilizing new resources and building in sites that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really permit," commented an specialist from a regional heritage organization. "Each of these factors are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unimaginable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Famous Influence

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the family, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer took what is perhaps the most famous photograph of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the photograph features two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting impact of that image is due to the way it communicates an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and separate from it," stated a head of an architectural company and educator at a leading university.

Historic Designation

The home has enjoyed memorable features in film, TV and music videos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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

Coming Stewardship

The home is still open for visits, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their statement announcing the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before ending the tours.

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

"For enthusiasts of architecture, advocates of building, or institutions seeking to safeguard an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the listing say. "This is more than a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next custodian who will honor the house’s history, respect its architectural purity, and guarantee its protection for generations to come."

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

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a custodianship like this, is changing ownership of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they grasp and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"