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

This suspended home, situated in the Hollywood Hills, hit the real estate market this recent week. The listing price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the home for its complete 65-year timeline, issued a announcement regarding their choice to sell. They noted that the dwelling had grown increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This house has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the attention and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the children of the initial owners.

They continued that the period had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also comprehends its position in the cultural landscape of the city and beyond."

Modest Origins

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

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

Construction Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was conceived during the warm season of 1956. However, many builders were initially wary to build it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to accept the task. With backing from the prominent Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the family received support to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on innovation" and "utilizing new materials and building in places that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," stated an expert from a city preservation society. "All those things are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else believed, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Iconic Impact

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "just $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 specialist commented.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer captured what is possibly the most iconic image of the home. Captured through the full-length glass windows, the photograph shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but appearing to levitate over the LA skyline.

"I think the lasting impact of that image is due to the way it conveys an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and separate from it," said a founder of an architectural company and educator at a major university.

Historic Status

The home has enjoyed notable appearances in film, broadcast and videos, including several well-known 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 listed as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Stewardship

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before stopping the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will conserve the essence of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, supporters of design, or organizations seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the details state. "This is more than a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a search for the next steward who will honor the house’s past, appreciate its original vision, and secure its protection for future generations."

The specialist agreed that the decision of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a custodianship like this, is being sold of a residence like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And do they grasp and cherish the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"