🔗 Share this article

The renowned Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern architectural design, is currently listed for the very first time in its entire history.

This overhanging residence, situated in the Hollywood Hills area, was listed on the listings this recent week. The asking price stands at an impressive $25 million.

Family Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the home for its complete 65-year history, issued a announcement regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the house had become increasingly challenging to care for.

"This home has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and effort it so rightfully warrants," commented the offspring of the initial owners.

They added that the period had arrived to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only appreciates its design legacy but also comprehends its place in the cultural landscape of the city and elsewhere."

Modest Beginnings

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the original owners acquired a sloped patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known icon of the city, the residents often pointed out that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "working-class family living in a white-collar house."

Design Undertaking

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

In November 1957, the Stahls met with architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to undertake the task. With assistance from the notable Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to hire Koenig.

The modernist program "centered around trial and error" and "utilizing new resources and building in locations that maybe before the engineering didn’t really permit," commented an specialist from a regional conservancy. "All those things are wrapped up into a site like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was erected on that site that everyone else considered, at the time, was unbuildable."

Realization and Cultural Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and construction began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction amounted to "just $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The final product was "a perfect representation of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer took what is perhaps the most famous picture of the home. Taken through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image depicts two women positioned in the home’s living room but appearing to float over the city skyline.

"I believe the lasting impact of that photograph is due to the way it conveys an notion about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and removed from it," said a principal of an architectural practice and educator at a prominent university.

Historic Recognition

The home has enjoyed historic cameos in film, TV and 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.

Coming Stewardship

The home remains open for tours, as it has been for the previous 17 years, although all appointments are currently fully booked through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before stopping the tours.

The property description for the home stresses finding a new owner who will maintain the spirit of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, patrons of architecture, or institutions seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the description state. "This is more than a purchase; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next custodian who will celebrate the house’s legacy, appreciate its architectural purity, and guarantee its preservation for generations to come."

The expert affirmed that the choice of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s history.

"In my view any time a long-term steward, and a guardianship like this, is being sold of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And do they understand and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"