An Iconic Midcentury Contemporary Jewel Reaches the Real Estate Market for the Very First Time

The celebrated Stahl house, a quintessential example of modernist architecture, is now available for the first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, hit the listings this past week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Owners Move to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year existence, released a statement regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the property had become too difficult to upkeep.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become progressively harder to maintain it with the dedication and effort it so richly deserves," commented the offspring of the original owners.

They further stated that the period had arrived to find a new "steward" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its architectural importance but also understands its role in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Humble Beginnings

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the initial owners acquired a hilly plot of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a renowned icon of the city, the owners often emphasized that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Architectural Challenge

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

In November 1957, the family interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the project. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the Stahls received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "centered around experimentation" and "utilizing new materials and constructing in places that maybe earlier the techniques didn’t really permit," stated an specialist from a regional conservancy. "All these elements are combined into a site like the Stahl house, which was innovative, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was erected on that site that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the family, construction amounted to "just $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The outcome was "a perfect representation of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert added.

Soon after completion, a famous architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most famous picture of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photograph shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but seeming to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I believe the lasting effect of the image is due to the way it expresses an concept about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both urban and detached from it," stated a principal of an architectural firm and educator at a prominent university.

Cultural Recognition

The home has had memorable appearances in movies, television and music videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was added as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home is still open for visits, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all slots are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement concerning the sale, the family said they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a buyer who will maintain the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, patrons of architecture, or entities seeking to preserve an national treasure, there is simply nothing comparable," the description state. "This is not merely a purchase; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next steward who will respect the house’s past, respect its design integrity, and guarantee its conservation for future generations."

The expert affirmed that the decision of new owner would be a critical one, given the home’s past.

"In my view any time a original family, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a residence like this, it always causes a little bit of a pause – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they comprehend and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"