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The famous Stahl house, a paragon of mid-century modern architectural design, is now available for the first time in its complete history.

This suspended residence, perched in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the market this week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Stewards Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year history, released a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the property had grown increasingly challenging to maintain.

"This house has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become progressively harder to maintain it with the attention and energy it so richly deserves," stated the descendants of the first owners.

They further stated that the time had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "someone who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also understands its position in the cultural history of Los Angeles and beyond."

Unassuming Inception

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

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a famous symbol of the city, the family often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Undertaking

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

In November 1957, the Stahls met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the project. With support from the influential Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the family received subsidies to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "was about innovation" and "using new resources and constructing in places that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really enable," remarked an specialist from a regional conservancy. "All those things are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The outcome was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the authority added.

Soon after the build ended, a famous architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most famous photograph of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the photograph depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the city skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring effect of the image is due to the way it communicates an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both metropolitan and separate from it," said a principal of an architectural company and lecturer at a prominent university.

Cultural Designation

The home has made notable appearances in movies, broadcast and 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 added as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

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

The listing for the home highlights finding a purchaser who will conserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, advocates of architecture, or institutions seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply nothing comparable," the details say. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next steward who will honor the house’s past, value its original vision, and guarantee its conservation for future generations."

The expert agreed that the decision of buyer would be a critical one, given the home’s history.

"I believe any time a original family, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And will they grasp and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"