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The celebrated Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern architecture, is now available for the first time in its whole history.

This suspended residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills area, was listed on the real estate market this week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Stewards Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its full 65-year timeline, released a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the dwelling had grown excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This residence has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve grown older, it has become more difficult to care for it with the care and vigor it so rightfully warrants," commented the descendants of the first owners.

They added that the period had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only appreciates its architectural importance but also grasps its place in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and beyond."

Modest Origins

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the first owners acquired a sloped parcel of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous representation of the city, the residents often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Design Feat

The original design for the Stahl house was conceived during the summer months of 1956. However, many architects were originally wary to construct it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the task. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the family received support to engage Koenig.

The modernist program "focused on innovation" and "using new building materials and building in sites that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really permit," commented an expert from a city preservation society. "Each of these factors are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that site that everyone else believed, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "a perfect representation of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert added.

Soon after construction was finished, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most iconic photograph of the home. Shot through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photo depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but appearing to hover over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting impact of that photograph is due to the way it communicates an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and detached from it," commented a founder of an architectural company and lecturer at a prominent university.

Cultural Status

The home has had historic features in film, TV and music videos, 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.

Future Ownership

The home remains open for public viewings, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their announcement concerning the sale, the family said they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The sales details for the home highlights finding a new owner who will conserve the spirit of the space.

"For collectors of architecture, advocates of architecture, or institutions seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the description say. "This is more than a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next steward who will honor the house’s history, value its original vision, and guarantee its conservation for posterity."

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

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a stewardship like this, is changing ownership of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a concern – because you never know what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they understand and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"