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

This suspended dwelling, situated in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the listings this week. The listing price stands at a notable $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Part With

The Stahl family, who have owned the property for its entire 65-year existence, shared a announcement regarding their decision to sell. They stated that the house had become excessively demanding to care for.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for decades, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to care for it with the attention and effort it so truly merits," wrote the descendants of the original owners.

They added that the time had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also comprehends its position in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Humble Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous representation of the city, the owners often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing 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 of 1956. However, many builders were at first reluctant to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to accept the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on innovation" and "utilizing new building materials and erecting in places that maybe before the technology didn’t really allow," commented an authority from a local preservation society. "All those things are wrapped up into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was unbuildable."

Finalization and Famous Influence

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and building commenced in May 1959. According to the family, construction cost "just $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The outcome was "the ultimate vision of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the specialist commented.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer took what is possibly the most well-known image of the home. Captured through the enormous glass windows, the image features two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring impact of this image is due to the way it communicates an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both in the city and separate from it," stated a head of an architectural company and educator at a major university.

Historic Designation

The home has made historic features in film, TV and music videos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was included as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their release concerning the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before ending the tours.

The sales details for the home stresses finding a new owner who will preserve the essence of the space.

"For collectors of architecture, advocates of design, or institutions seeking to preserve an national treasure, there is simply no parallel," the description read. "This is not merely a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a hunt for the next steward who will respect the house’s past, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its preservation for future generations."

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

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And will they grasp and cherish the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"