Iconic Stahl House, Symbol of Mid-Century Los Angeles, Listed for Sale
LOS ANGELES – The Stahl House, the famed glass-walled residence perched on the Hollywood Hills and widely considered an emblem of Los Angeles architectural innovation, has been listed for sale for the first time in its history. The listing price has not been disclosed,but the property is being marketed to buyers committed to preserving its legacy as an American masterpiece.
Completed in 1960, the house-formally known as Case Study House #22-achieved international recognition through the iconic photograph taken by Julius Shulman, which captured a romanticized vision of Los Angeles living. “I think the enduring impact of Shulman’s photo is due to the way it conveys an idea about living in Los angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and removed from it,” said Kevin Daly, founder of Kevin Daly Architects and an adjunct professor at the University of California Los Angeles school of architecture and urban design.
The home, designed by architect Pierre Koenig, quickly became a cultural touchstone, appearing in numerous films, television shows, and music videos, including Playing by Heart (1998), Galaxy Quest (1999), and Nurse Betty (2000). Its architectural significance has been formally recognized through landmark designations: Los Angeles declared it a historic-cultural landmark in 1999, and in 2013, it was added to the National register of Historic Places.
Currently, public tours of the property are sold out through February, having been offered for the past 17 years. The Stahl family, in a statement accompanying the sale declaration, indicated they will provide “ample notice” before ending the tours.
the listing, available through The Agency, explicitly seeks a buyer dedicated to preservation. “For collectors of design, patrons of architecture, or institutions seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable,” it reads. “This is not merely a sale; it is indeed a passing of duty - a search for the next custodian who will honor the house’s history,respect its architectural purity,and ensure its preservation for generations to come.”
Architectural historian and preservation advocate,Fine,expressed cautious optimism about the sale. “I think any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – becuase you never know what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they understand and appreciate the house,as in this particular case the Stahl family has?”
