Pierre Koenig's Stahl House in Los Angeles cuts its asking price

Few houses carry quite as much midcentury myth as Case Study House #22, better known as the Stahl House. Designed by modernist architect Pierre Koenig for Buck and Carlotta Stahl, it won praise on completion for its cantilevered form, and a 1960 photograph by Julius Schulman went on to become shorthand for Los Angeles glamour. The Stahls' descendants listed it last November for $25 million. With no buyer yet, they have now taken $5 million off.

Wallpaper* weighs up why it hasn't sold. Twenty million dollars buys just two bedrooms in about 2,200 sq ft. Historic houses also need specialist, costly upkeep for ageing materials and systems, which is partly why the family, owners for some six decades, decided to let it go; their statement says caring for it as it deserves has grown harder with age. Its listing on the National Register of Historic Places and status as an LA Historic-Cultural Monument mean altering or extending it would be difficult and contentious.

This is a private home on the market, not a place to book. It's a thoughtful read for anyone curious about what it really means to own a landmark, and about how fame and square footage pull a price in opposite directions.

Our summary of a story from Wallpaper*, published 12 October 2026. Read the original

Photos: Wallpaper* · See all 4