Julius Shulman photographed Case Study House No. 22, known colloquially as the Stahl House, in 1960 after the residence completed. The striking photograph Case Study House No. 22 has since made the Los Angeles abode designed by Pierre Koenig one of the world’s most famous buildings.
The Stahl House stayed in the Stahl family for decades. Now, for the first time in its history, the Stahl House is for sale.
The Agency, the real estate firm selling the home, listed it among other properties up for purchase in The Agency Magazine’s 2025 Fall/Winter issue. (The Stahl house is pictured on pages 100–101.) The listing states “price available upon request,” although Docomomo told AN the price tag may be $25 million. But the number hasn’t been confirmed.
Case Study House No. 22 by Pierre Koenig photographed by Julius Shulman (© J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10))
“After more than six decades of careful preservation, Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House in the Hollywood Hills is offered for sale for the first time,” The Agency Magazine listing states.
“Cantilevered over a dramatic clifftop, this iconic mid-century modern house of steel and glass features floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping Los Angeles views,” it continues. “A protected landmark and the only Case Study House with original family ownership, it presents a rare opportunity to own a piece of design history.”
Other architects shied away from the hilly site. (© J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10))
Buck and Carlotta Stahl, the original owners, were fortunate for Koenig’s ambitions: The architect saw the site atop a cliff as “an advantage rather than an impediment.” The couple purchased the lot for $13,000 in 1954, before commissioning Koenig.
The house has an expansive swimming pool that affords sweeping views out toward the city, as pictured in Shulman’s photography. A cantilever extends out from the flat roof to form a car port, a signature element of midcentury design.
Inside, the kitchen with long countertops is housed within a rectangular structure, giving it division and prominence from the other living spaces. The kitchen and main living areas are wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glazing that abuts the patio and swimming pool.
Glazing opens out to the swimming pool. (© J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10))
Docomomo board president Katie Horak, who lives in Los Angeles, told AN after the listing was made public that “Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House is one the most iconic and well-known modern houses in Los Angeles. To be the next steward of a Case Study House that has only had one owner is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
“Since the house is protected by its status as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, we are optimistic it will find new homeowners who will cherish and maintain it for future generations,” Horak continued, before adding that she hopes the new homeowners continue inviting the public into the iconic building, as the Stahl family did.
The kitchen is housed within a rectangular volume that echoes the form of the residence. (© J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10))
“Although this cannot necessarily be expected of a new owner, we are hopeful a new owner will be as generous as the Stahl family in sharing it with others moving forward. A house this iconic should be enjoyed by many, and not just a few, ” she added.