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The famous Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern architecture, is up for sale for the initial occasion in its whole history.

This overhanging residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, appeared on the market this recent week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its full 65-year existence, released a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the house had grown 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 more difficult to look after it with the attention and energy it so truly merits," commented the children of the first owners.

They added that the period had emerged to find a new "custodian" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its design legacy but also comprehends its place in the cultural history of LA and beyond."

Humble Beginnings

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

Despite the Stahl house growing into a well-known representation of the city, the owners often stressed that "no celebrities ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Construction Undertaking

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the summer of 1956. However, many designers were originally wary to build it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to undertake the project. With backing from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a prominent magazine editor, the family received support to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on experimentation" and "using new building materials and erecting in places that maybe previously the techniques didn’t really permit," remarked an authority from a city heritage organization. "Each of these factors are wrapped up into a place like the Stahl house, which was innovative, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Finalization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and construction started in May 1959. According to the family, construction cost "just $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the expert added.

Soon after construction was finished, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most well-known image of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image features two women sitting in the home’s living room but appearing to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I think the lasting influence of this photograph is due to the way it expresses an notion about dwelling in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both in the city and detached from it," said a principal of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Cultural Designation

The home has made memorable features in movies, television and promos, including several famous titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was added as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently sold out through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family said they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

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

"For connoisseurs of architecture, patrons of design, or organizations seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply nothing comparable," the details state. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next custodian who will honor the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and guarantee its preservation for future generations."

The expert affirmed that the decision of buyer would be a vital one, given the home’s history.

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