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

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

Family Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the residence for its complete 65-year timeline, issued a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the house had grown too difficult to upkeep.

"This home has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve aged, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the attention and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the descendants of the original owners.

They continued that the time had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "someone who not only values its architectural significance but also understands its role in the cultural history of LA and further afield."

Unassuming Inception

The origins of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners purchased a hilly patch of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known symbol of the city, the owners often emphasized that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Challenge

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

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the challenge. With backing from the prominent Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "centered around trial and error" and "employing new resources and constructing in locations that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really enable," stated an expert from a local conservancy. "Each of these factors are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was erected on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Iconic Influence

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

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most iconic picture of the home. Taken through the full-length glass windows, the photo features two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I think the enduring effect of the photo is due to the way it communicates an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and separate from it," stated a principal of an architectural company and educator at a major university.

Cultural Status

The home has had memorable features in cinema, broadcast and videos, including several famous 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 added as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their statement 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 new owner who will preserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, supporters of building, or organizations seeking to safeguard an national treasure, there is simply no parallel," the details state. "This is more than a transaction; it is a handover of custody – a search for the next steward who will respect the house’s legacy, appreciate its design integrity, and secure its preservation for posterity."

The authority affirmed that the choice of new owner would be a critical one, given the home’s legacy.

"In my view any time a original family, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And do they grasp and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"