"Nothing important ever happened here," our docent told us on a recent tour of the Stahl House, which I got a last-minute ticket to so I could finally see it in daylight before it gets sold.
And it's true—the most famous thing about the Stahl House, besides its inclusion in the Case Study Houses program, are the photographs that Julius Shulman took of it.

Once his photos were printed in Arts & Architecture magazine (which launched the Case Study program) in 1960, people just started showing up to see the house in person, with their own eyes.
A breeze block wall had to be added later to ensure the Stahl family (who weren't famous for any reason other than being owners of the house) some privacy.
The Stahls still own Case Study House #22, but maybe not for long. Siblings Bruce and Shari, who grew up in the house, have put it on the market—and are asking for $25 million for it.

The L-shaped, Mid-Century Modern home sits precariously cantilevered over the Hollywood Hills, a site that other architects refused to design for or build upon. But Pierre Koenig—one of the youngest of the Case Study architects—welcomed the challenge.
The result is an engineering marvel as well as an architectural masterpiece in steel and glass.
Standing on the pool deck, it feels as though you're perched on top of the world, with all of Los Angeles to behold.

There are two main bedrooms that face the pool through enormous plate glass windows...

...the second of which can only be accessed through the first (and is off-limits to tour guests).
The main bedroom has an unobstructed view, thanks to Buck and Carlotta Stahl selecting a property lot that nobody could ever build in front of.

The large overhangs outside keep it from getting too sunny or hot inside.

The main area of the house is an open floor plan, but appliances and plywood cabinets "float" on steel legs...
...helping to divide the rooms while keeping the airiness of those massive windows.
A freestanding, floor-to-ceiling fireplace with an adjacent fire pit anchors the living room...
...the stone cladding added sometime later.

The most famous part of the Stahl House is probably the corner of the living room, which Shulman photographed from the outside at night. That's where every visitor wants their photo taken.
Myself included.
But the new owners—whoever decides to spring for the house—will have to fall in love with more than just the idea of living in a photograph.
What I love most about the Stahl House, perhaps, is how Los Angeles looks like from up there. Koenig intentionally lined it up with LA's street grid down below, so one feels like a natural extension of the other.
For the Stahl children, the listing says, it's "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."
"For the right buyer, this is a legacy to carry forward."
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