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The renowned Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern architecture, is now available for the initial occasion in its complete history.

This overhanging dwelling, situated in the Hollywood Hills, was listed on the market this week. The asking price stands at a notable $25 million.

Owners Move to Sell

The Stahl family, who have owned the property for its entire 65-year history, issued a statement regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the house had become excessively demanding to care for.

"This home has been the core of our lives for many years, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become progressively harder to maintain it with the dedication and energy it so truly merits," stated the offspring of the original owners.

They further stated that the time had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only appreciates its design legacy but also comprehends its place in the cultural history of the city and elsewhere."

Unassuming Inception

The beginnings of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners bought a sloped parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous icon of the city, the residents often stressed that "no celebrities ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a white-collar house."

Design Undertaking

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the summer of 1956. However, many builders were at first hesitant to build it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the owners consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to accept the challenge. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a leading magazine editor, the owners received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "was about innovation" and "employing new building materials and building in locations that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really permit," commented an authority from a local preservation society. "All these elements are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Finalization and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and construction commenced in May 1959. According to the family, construction amounted to "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "a perfect representation of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the authority commented.

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

"I believe the long-standing influence of the photograph is due to the way it conveys an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and detached from it," commented a founder of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Cultural Status

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

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was listed as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home is still open for tours, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their statement concerning the sale, the family stated they would give "sufficient warning" before stopping the tours.

The property description for the home emphasizes finding a purchaser who will preserve the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, supporters of building, or entities seeking to safeguard an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the description read. "This is more than a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a quest for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s legacy, appreciate its architectural purity, and secure its preservation for future generations."

The authority agreed that the decision of purchaser would be a vital one, given the home’s past.

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their plans will be. And do they comprehend and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"