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The renowned Stahl house, a paragon of mid-century modern design, is currently listed for the first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered home, situated in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the market this week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its entire 65-year timeline, issued a statement regarding their choice to sell. They noted that the house had grown too difficult to maintain.

"This home has been the center of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become more difficult to maintain it with the care and energy it so truly merits," commented the descendants of the first owners.

They added that the period had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only values its architectural significance but also grasps its role in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Humble Origins

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

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a famous icon of the city, the family 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 summer months of 1956. However, many builders were originally reluctant to build it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to take on the challenge. With backing from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "centered around experimentation" and "utilizing new building materials and building in places that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really permit," commented an authority from a local conservancy. "All these elements are wrapped up into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that site that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."

Completion and Cultural Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building began in May 1959. According to the family, construction amounted to "only $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The final product was "an idealized version of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after the build ended, a renowned architectural photographer took what is possibly the most well-known image of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the photo depicts two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to levitate over the city skyline.

"I think the long-standing effect of that photo is due to the way it expresses an idea about dwelling in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both metropolitan and separate from it," stated a head of an architectural practice and lecturer at a major university.

Historic Designation

The home has had historic cameos in movies, TV and promos, including several well-known 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 conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home is still open for public viewings, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before stopping the tours.

The property description for the home highlights finding a new owner who will maintain the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, patrons of design, or institutions seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing say. "This goes beyond a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next custodian who will honor the house’s history, respect its original vision, and ensure its conservation for posterity."

The expert concurred that the decision of purchaser would be a critical one, given the home’s past.

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is changing ownership of a residence like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they comprehend and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"