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

This cantilevered residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills, hit the listings this past week. The asking price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the property for its full 65-year existence, released a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the house had grown excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This house has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to look after it with the care and vigor it so truly merits," wrote the children of the original owners.

They continued that the time had arrived to find a new "custodian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also grasps its position in the cultural history of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Modest Inception

The inception of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the first owners purchased a hilly patch of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a famous icon of the city, the owners often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "working-class family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Undertaking

The first design for the Stahl house was conceived during the warm season of 1956. However, many builders were at first reluctant to build it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to accept the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "was about experimentation" and "using new resources and constructing in places that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really permit," stated an specialist from a regional preservation society. "All these elements are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Famous Influence

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

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most iconic image of the home. Shot through the full-length glass windows, the photograph features two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to float over the city skyline.

"I believe the enduring impact of that photo is due to the way it expresses an idea about living in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and removed from it," commented a founder of an architectural firm and lecturer at a major university.

Cultural Designation

The home has had notable features in movies, television and promos, including several famous 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 protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Ownership

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

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

"For collectors of style, advocates of design, or organizations seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply nothing comparable," the description say. "This is more than a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next custodian who will honor the house’s history, respect its original vision, and secure its conservation for posterity."

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

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a residence like this, it always causes a little bit of a hesitation – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their plans will be. And will they understand and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"