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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of midcentury modern architectural design, is up for sale for the very first time in its entire history.

This suspended home, situated in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the market this recent week. The asking price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have held title to the residence for its complete 65-year history, issued a declaration regarding their decision to sell. They noted that the dwelling had grown excessively demanding to care for.

"This house has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to care for it with the dedication and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the descendants of the first owners.

They added that the moment had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "a person who not only recognizes its architectural importance but also comprehends its place in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and further afield."

Humble Inception

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

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known symbol of the city, the residents often emphasized that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was created during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were at first reluctant to construct it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to take on the project. With support from the prominent Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on experimentation" and "utilizing new building materials and constructing in locations that maybe before the technology didn’t really permit," remarked an expert from a local preservation society. "All those things are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and inconceivable in terms of how it was erected on that site that everyone else considered, at the time, was not feasible."

Completion and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The final product was "a perfect representation of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert noted.

Soon after the build ended, a famous architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most well-known photograph of the home. Captured through the enormous glass windows, the photograph features two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I believe the lasting effect of that image is due to the way it conveys an notion about living in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both in the city and separate from it," stated a head of an architectural company and educator at a prominent university.

Protected Status

The home has enjoyed notable cameos in film, television and videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was listed as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all tours are currently reserved through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before ending the tours.

The sales details for the home highlights finding a buyer who will preserve the character of the space.

"For connoisseurs of style, advocates of building, or entities seeking to preserve an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the listing read. "This is more than a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next custodian who will respect the house’s past, value its original vision, and guarantee its protection for generations to come."

The authority affirmed that the choice of buyer would be a vital one, given the home’s legacy.

"In my view any time a original family, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always causes a little bit of a concern – because you never know what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they grasp and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"