🔗 Share this article An Iconic Mid-20th Century Contemporary Jewel Hits the Market for the Very First Time The famous Stahl house, a epitome of midcentury modern architecture, is now available for the first time in its whole history. This suspended home, situated in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the market this week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million. Stewards Choice to Part With The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its full 65-year existence, issued a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the dwelling had become increasingly challenging to care for. "This house has been the heart of our lives for decades, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the attention and vigor it so richly deserves," stated the children of the initial owners. They continued that the moment had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "an individual who not only recognizes its architectural significance but also comprehends its place in the cultural fabric of LA and further afield." Modest Origins The inception of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the first owners bought a hilly parcel of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500. Despite the Stahl house evolving into a famous representation of the city, the family often pointed out that "nobody famous ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece." Design Challenge The first design for the Stahl house was created during the summer months of 1956. However, many architects were initially wary to construct it on the difficult hillside. In November 1957, the owners met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, spearheaded by a leading magazine editor, the family received subsidies to hire Koenig. The modernist program "was about trial and error" and "using new resources and constructing in locations that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really enable," stated an expert from a regional conservancy. "All these elements are combined into a property like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, contemporary and unimaginable in terms of how it was built on that location that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build." Finalization and Cultural Legacy The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and construction commenced in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "a perfect representation of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the authority added. Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most iconic picture of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the image shows two women seated in the home’s living room but appearing to hover over the Los Angeles skyline. "In my opinion the lasting effect of that photograph is due to the way it conveys an concept about dwelling in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and separate from it," commented a principal of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a prominent university. Protected Designation The home has had historic features in movies, TV and music 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. Coming Ownership The home remains open for visits, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before stopping the tours. The property description for the home stresses finding a new owner who will preserve the spirit of the space. "For enthusiasts of style, supporters of design, or entities seeking to protect an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the description say. "This is more than a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a hunt for the next custodian who will honor the house’s legacy, appreciate its original vision, and secure its conservation for generations to come." The expert affirmed that the choice of buyer would be a vital one, given the home’s past. "In my view any time a longtime owner, and a guardianship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And will they comprehend and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"