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The famous Stahl house, a paragon of midcentury modern architectural design, is currently listed for the first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered dwelling, perched in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the listings this week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the home for its full 65-year existence, shared a announcement regarding their choice to sell. They stated that the property had become excessively demanding to care for.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and energy it so rightfully warrants," stated the offspring of the original owners.

They continued that the time had arrived to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also understands its position in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and further afield."

Humble Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners acquired a mountainous patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known symbol of the city, the residents often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "working-class family living in a white-collar house."

Design Undertaking

The initial design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer months of 1956. However, many architects were at first hesitant to construct it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the challenge. With assistance from the influential Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the Stahls received support to commission Koenig.

The contemporary program "was about experimentation" and "utilizing new materials and constructing in sites that maybe previously the technology didn’t really permit," stated an expert from a regional conservancy. "Each of these factors are wrapped up into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unthinkable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Iconic Influence

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and building commenced in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "the ultimate vision of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most famous photograph of the home. Shot through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image depicts two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring impact of that photo is due to the way it expresses an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and detached from it," stated a principal of an architectural firm and lecturer at a prominent university.

Historic Recognition

The home has made notable appearances in cinema, television 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 included as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Stewardship

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their statement announcing 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 preserve the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, patrons of architecture, or organizations seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply no equal," the details state. "This is more than a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next steward who will respect the house’s legacy, value its original vision, and guarantee its protection for posterity."

The authority concurred that the selection of buyer would be a crucial one, given the home’s past.

"In my view 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 hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And can they comprehend and appreciate the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"