The striking Stahl House, commonly known as Case Study House #22, is being listed for sale for the first time in its 65-year history for $25 million. The definitive 20th-century design signifies more than a typical luxury real estate sale, underscoring how iconic works of architecture have increasingly become global symbols available for private acquisition, presenting a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a patron, collector, or institution seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece.
Stahl House Sale
Located at 1636 Woods Drive in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles and owned by the Stahl family since its inception, the home, completed in 1960, has been publicly stated to be up for sale due to the increasing challenge of providing the level of care and attention the property requires as it ages. C.H. Buck Stahl and his wife, Carlotta, purchased the extremely challenging, undeveloped hillside patch in the Hollywood Hills in May 1954 for $13,500. Buck envisioned the structure in 1956 with large, expansive windows that capture spectacular city views.
The Case Study Program
The Case Study House program was conceived in 1945 by Arts & Architecture magazine editor John Entenza. Its objective was to utilize modern industrial materials and replicable building techniques to “shape and form postwar living,” addressing anticipated housing shortages with elegant, cost-effective, and aesthetically modern design.
Pierre Koenig’s Structural Mastery
In November 1967, Stahl met with architect Pierre Koenig and hired him to realize his vision, one that initially included complex features such as a butterfly roof and multiple curves, which was refined into the elegant, functional L-shaped plan with the flat roof. Its steel structure and glass curtain wall maximize transparency and appear to defy gravity through the home’s celebrated cantilever.
Spanning approximately 2,200 square feet, the house features two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, connecting interior and exterior spaces. Koenig’s design centered on employing modern materials such as glass and steel to create dramatic overhangs. Koenig’s design brilliantly transformed the site’s challenges into architectural advantages.
The house incorporates vast, 20-foot-wide panes of glass that form the majority of the view-facing walls, providing unobstructed 270-degree panoramas of Los Angeles. The swimming pool, positioned at the inner corner of the L-shaped plan, functions both as a physical divider between the public and private wings and as a reflective visual corridor that mirrors the cityscape, amplifying the home’s seamless indoor-outdoor experience.
$25 Million Price of Iconography and Preservation
Renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman’s famous black-and-white images, taken in 1960, served as an icon of mid-century modernism. One of the most influential photographs, recognized by Time magazine, depicts the cantilevered, glowing glass volume at dusk, with two women socializing inside, seemingly suspended above the glittering expanse of the Los Angeles street grid.
Further, the property’s status is reinforced by its numerous media appearances, including notable features such as Galaxy Quest, Playing by Heart, and Nurse Betty. The Stahl House commands a price higher than other prominent LA homes due to its exceptional site, cultural significance, and global recognition.
The Stahl house was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (LAHCM No. 670) in November 1999 and was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in July 2013. These designations come with strict preservation and compliance requirements, further underscoring the responsibility involved in stewarding this landmarked property.
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