🔗 Share this article

The renowned Stahl house, a epitome of modernist architectural design, is currently listed for the very first time in its whole history.

This suspended home, situated in the Hollywood Hills area, was listed on the listings this past week. The asking price stands at a substantial $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Part With

The Stahl family, who have held title to the property for its complete 65-year timeline, issued a declaration regarding their choice to sell. They expressed that the property had become increasingly challenging to maintain.

"This home has been the core of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve grown older, it has become more difficult to care for it with the attention and vigor it so rightfully warrants," stated the children of the initial owners.

They added that the time had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "a person who not only values its design legacy but also comprehends its place in the cultural fabric of LA and elsewhere."

Modest Inception

The origins of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the initial owners acquired a mountainous plot of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known representation of the city, the family often emphasized that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Undertaking

The original design for the Stahl house was created during the summer months of 1956. However, many builders were originally wary to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls consulted architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to undertake the task. With support from the notable Case Study program, led by a leading magazine editor, the owners received support to commission Koenig.

The progressive program "focused on trial and error" and "employing new building materials and building in locations that maybe previously the technology didn’t really enable," commented an expert from a regional preservation society. "Each of these factors are combined into a place like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was erected on that site that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Finalization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and work started in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "a mere $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The outcome was "the ultimate vision of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the specialist commented.

Soon after construction was finished, a famous architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most famous image of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the photo depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the city skyline.

"I believe the enduring effect of the photo is due to the way it conveys an idea about living in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and detached from it," commented a founder of an architectural practice and lecturer at a leading university.

Historic Designation

The home has made memorable cameos in film, television and promos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was listed as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Ownership

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

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

"For collectors of style, advocates of architecture, or institutions seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply no parallel," the description say. "This is more than a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a hunt for the next custodian who will respect the house’s legacy, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its protection for future generations."

The authority concurred that the selection of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"I believe any time a original family, and a custodianship like this, is being sold of a residence 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 grasp and cherish the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"