🔗 Share this article

The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of midcentury modern architectural design, is up for sale for the initial occasion in its complete history.

This overhanging residence, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, hit the market this past week. The price tag stands at a substantial $25 million.

Family Choice to Sell

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its entire 65-year history, released a announcement regarding their choice to sell. They noted that the dwelling had proven too difficult to upkeep.

"This house has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become more difficult to maintain it with the attention and energy it so rightfully warrants," stated the offspring of the initial owners.

They further stated that the moment had emerged to find a new "steward" for the house – "a person who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also grasps its role in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Unassuming Beginnings

The origins of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the original owners bought a mountainous parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known icon of the city, the owners often emphasized that "no celebrities ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Architectural Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was created during the summer months of 1956. However, many designers were initially hesitant to construct it on the difficult hillside.

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

The modernist program "centered around experimentation" and "using new materials and constructing in sites that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," stated an authority from a city preservation society. "All these elements are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Famous Influence

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "just $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The result was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the authority added.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer shot what is perhaps the most iconic photograph of the home. Shot through the enormous glass windows, the photograph features two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing effect of that photograph is due to the way it expresses an notion about living in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and separate from it," said a head of an architectural practice and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Protected Designation

The home has made historic features in cinema, 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 included as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Ownership

The home continues to be open for visits, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all slots are currently reserved through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before stopping the tours.

The listing for the home highlights finding a purchaser who will maintain the character of the space.

"For connoisseurs of style, patrons of building, or entities seeking to preserve an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the details read. "This is more than a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next steward who will respect the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and secure its conservation for generations to come."

The authority concurred that the selection of purchaser would be a critical one, given the home’s history.

"In my view any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a home like this, it always causes a little bit of a concern – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they understand and cherish the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"