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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of modernist design, is up for sale for the very first time in its whole history.

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

Owners Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year timeline, issued a announcement regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the house had become excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the care and energy it so rightfully warrants," wrote the descendants of the first owners.

They added that the time had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only recognizes its architectural importance but also understands its place in the cultural fabric of the city and further afield."

Unassuming Beginnings

The origins of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the original owners purchased a sloped parcel of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a renowned icon of the city, the owners often stressed that "no celebrities ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was conceived during the summer months of 1956. However, many architects were at first hesitant to construct it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the task. With backing from the influential Case Study program, spearheaded by a key magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The contemporary program "focused on experimentation" and "using new building materials and constructing in locations that maybe before the engineering didn’t really enable," remarked an expert from a city heritage organization. "All these elements are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Finalization and Cultural Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the owners, construction amounted to "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most famous photograph of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the photo features two women sitting in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting impact of this photograph is due to the way it expresses an notion about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and detached from it," said a founder of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Cultural Status

The home has made notable appearances in film, TV and music videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was included as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

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

The property description for the home stresses finding a buyer who will conserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, supporters of design, or organizations seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the listing say. "This goes beyond a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next steward who will respect the house’s legacy, appreciate its original vision, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

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

"I think any time a original family, and a stewardship 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 intentions will be. And will they grasp and cherish the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"