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The famous Stahl house, a paragon of modernist architectural design, is now available for the very first time in its complete history.

This cantilevered residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, was listed on the real estate market this past week. The listing price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have owned the home for its entire 65-year history, issued a declaration regarding their decision to sell. They noted that the dwelling had become too difficult to upkeep.

"This house has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become more difficult to look after it with the care and effort it so rightfully warrants," commented the descendants of the first owners.

They further stated that the period had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural importance but also understands its role in the cultural history of the city and further afield."

Modest Beginnings

The beginnings of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the first owners acquired a hilly parcel of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a renowned icon of the city, the owners often pointed out that "nobody famous ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Construction Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer of 1956. However, many builders were originally hesitant to construct it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the task. With backing from the notable Case Study program, spearheaded by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received support to hire Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on experimentation" and "using new building materials and constructing in locations that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," remarked an specialist from a regional heritage organization. "Each of these factors are combined into a site like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, progressive and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was not feasible."

Finalization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "a perfect representation of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is possibly the most iconic image of the home. Captured through the full-length glass windows, the photo shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring effect of this image is due to the way it communicates an idea about dwelling in Los Angeles, an duality about being both urban and detached from it," said a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a major university.

Historic Designation

The home has enjoyed notable appearances in cinema, broadcast and promos, including several well-known 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 protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their announcement concerning the sale, the family said they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a buyer who will maintain the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, advocates of building, or institutions seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the description read. "This goes beyond a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next guardian who will celebrate the house’s past, appreciate its original vision, and secure its preservation for posterity."

The specialist affirmed that the choice of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s past.

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is changing ownership of a property like this, it always causes a little bit of a hesitation – because you never know what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they comprehend and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"