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The famous Stahl house, a paragon of mid-century modern design, is up for sale for the very first time in its complete history.

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

Family Decision to Part With

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its complete 65-year timeline, issued a announcement regarding their decision to sell. They noted that the property had become increasingly challenging to care for.

"This residence has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve aged, it has become progressively harder to look after it with the dedication and effort it so truly merits," commented the descendants of the initial owners.

They continued that the time had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its architectural importance but also grasps its place in the cultural fabric of the city and further afield."

Unassuming Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known representation of the city, the owners often stressed that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "working-class family living in a luxury house."

Construction Undertaking

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the warm season of 1956. However, many builders were at first hesitant to erect it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to undertake the project. With backing from the influential Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around trial and error" and "using new materials and erecting in locations that maybe earlier the technology didn’t really permit," stated an expert from a regional preservation society. "All these elements are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Finalization and Cultural Influence

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The final product was "a perfect representation of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert commented.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most iconic image of the home. Captured through the enormous glass windows, the photo depicts two women sitting in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I believe the long-standing effect of the image is due to the way it conveys an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both urban and separate from it," commented a principal of an architectural firm and educator at a prominent university.

Cultural Designation

The home has enjoyed memorable cameos in cinema, television and music videos, including several popular 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 added as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home continues to be open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their announcement concerning the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

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

"For collectors of style, advocates of building, or institutions seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the listing read. "This is more than a purchase; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next custodian who will honor the house’s legacy, appreciate its original vision, and secure its preservation for generations to come."

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

"I think any time a original family, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a hesitation – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And do they understand and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"