A Fabled Mid-20th Century Contemporary Gem Reaches the Real Estate Market for the Very First Time

The famous Stahl house, a epitome of mid-century modern design, is now available for the very first time in its whole history.

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

Family Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the home for its complete 65-year history, released a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They stated that the house had become increasingly challenging to maintain.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for decades, but as we’ve grown older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the dedication and energy it so rightfully warrants," commented the descendants of the initial owners.

They added that the period had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its design legacy but also grasps its place in the cultural landscape of the city and beyond."

Unassuming Origins

The beginnings of the Stahl house trace back to May 1954, when the first owners bought a mountainous patch of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a renowned icon of the city, the owners often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a luxury house."

Construction Challenge

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

In November 1957, the Stahls met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the challenge. With support from the prominent Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the family received financial aid to hire Koenig.

The contemporary program "focused on experimentation" and "using new resources and constructing in locations that maybe earlier the technology didn’t really permit," commented an specialist from a regional heritage organization. "All those things are combined into a property like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, modern and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else believed, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction totaled "only $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the specialist added.

Soon after the build ended, a celebrated architectural photographer captured what is perhaps the most famous picture of the home. Taken through the enormous glass windows, the photograph shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the enduring influence of the image is due to the way it conveys an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an contrast about being both urban and removed from it," stated a principal of an architectural firm and educator at a leading university.

Cultural Recognition

The home has enjoyed notable cameos in film, TV and promos, including several famous 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 conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Stewardship

The home remains open for tours, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all tours 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 sales details for the home stresses finding a purchaser who will preserve the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of style, advocates of design, or institutions seeking to protect an national treasure, there is simply no equal," the details state. "This goes beyond a transaction; it is a transfer of stewardship – a hunt for the next custodian who will respect the house’s legacy, value its design integrity, and secure its conservation for generations to come."

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

"In my view any time a original family, and a guardianship like this, is changing ownership of a home like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you never know what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And can they understand and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"