You’ve seen it. Even if you don't know the name, you’ve seen the shot. Two women in cocktail dresses, sitting in a glass box that seems to hover, impossibly, over a shimmering carpet of Los Angeles streetlights. It’s the ultimate "I’ve made it" image.
This is the story of Julius Shulman Case Study House 22, or as most people call it, the Stahl House.
Honestly, the photo is so famous it’s basically become the logo for Mid-Century Modernism. But here’s the thing: that legendary picture? It was kind of a fluke. Or at least, a very lucky accident born from a massive headache.
The Night Everything Went Wrong (and Right)
It was May 9, 1960. Julius Shulman, already a titan of architectural photography, was at the newly finished home of Buck and Carlotta Stahl. The house, designed by Pierre Koenig, was a radical experiment. It used steel and glass in ways that made city inspectors nervous.
Shulman was there to capture it for Arts & Architecture magazine.
He had a problem, though. His assistant, the guy responsible for the lighting, was stuck in traffic. In 1960, you couldn't just boost the ISO on a digital sensor. You needed massive flashbulbs and a prayer.
As the sun dipped below the Santa Monica Mountains, Shulman realized the "architectural" shots weren't cutting it. The house looked cold. Empty. So, he did something he was famous for—he added people.
He grabbed two women who were hanging around (some say they were girlfriends of architecture students, others say they were just friends of the family) and told them to sit in the corner. "Just talk," he told them.
Then he performed a technical miracle.
✨ Don't miss: Why Saying You're the Best Thing in My Life Is Actually Grounded in Psychology
He opened the camera shutter for a seven-minute exposure to soak up the city lights. Seven minutes. The girls had to sit perfectly still in the dark. Then, at the very last second, Shulman's assistant (who had finally arrived) or Shulman himself flicked the interior lights on for a fraction of a second to "pop" the models and the furniture into the frame.
The result was the most famous architectural photograph ever taken.
Why Julius Shulman Case Study House 22 Still Matters in 2026
If you look at the real estate market today, you’ll see why this matters. As of early 2026, the Stahl House is actually on the market for the first time in its 65-year history. The price tag? A cool $25 million.
That’s a lot of money for 2,200 square feet.
But you aren't just buying 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. You’re buying a piece of the "California Dream" that Shulman manufactured. People often forget that the Stahl family weren't millionaires when they built this. Buck Stahl was a sign painter and a former football player. He and Carlotta bought the lot for $13,500 in 1954. It was considered "unbuildable."
Buck spent weekends hauling discarded concrete up the hill to stabilize the cliff.
He even built a clay model of the house using empty beer cans to support the structure. When he took his ideas to architects, most laughed. Pierre Koenig didn't. Koenig saw the potential in the "L" shape. He saw how the steel beams could cantilever ten feet over the abyss, making the living room feel like it was floating.
What the History Books Leave Out
There’s a bit of a debate among architecture nerds about who really "designed" the house. Buck Stahl had a very specific vision. Koenig, however, was the one who translated that into the minimalist, grid-like reality we see today.
- The Roof: Buck wanted a "butterfly" roof (sloping upward like wings). Koenig insisted on the flat roof to keep the lines clean.
- The Glass: These were the largest panes of plate glass available at the time. There was no "double-paning" back then. If it was hot outside, the house was a greenhouse. If it was cold, you froze.
- The Privacy: There isn't any. Aside from the wing with the bedrooms, the house is a fishbowl.
Shulman’s photography masked all the "living" problems. He didn't show the glare on the TV or the fact that the kitchen—which is basically just some plywood cabinets and a built-in oven—is tiny by modern standards. He showed a mood.
The Technical Wizardry of Shulman
Shulman was a master of using infrared film to make the sky look darker and the buildings pop. He’d often tuck a stray tree branch into the corner of a frame just to frame the shot, even if that tree didn't exist on the property.
In the Julius Shulman Case Study House 22 shoot, he used a 4x5 view camera. This isn't your iPhone. It’s a massive bellows-style camera where the image appears upside down on a glass plate.
He was essentially "painting" with light. By using flashbulbs instead of steady floodlights, he avoided the weird shadows that usually haunt glass houses at night.
🔗 Read more: How to Pronounce Stoical Without Sounding Like You’re Trying Too Hard
A Cultural Landmark in Crisis?
While the house is currently for sale, it’s not just a private home. It’s a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places.
But being a landmark is a double-edged sword.
The hillside is fragile. Recent approvals for new mansions at the base of the hill have the preservation community worried about slides. Plus, whoever buys it for $25 million has to deal with the fact that it’s basically a museum. You can’t exactly go to Home Depot and "update" the windows without a massive legal headache.
The Stahl children, Shari and Bruce, have been incredible stewards, keeping the house open for public tours for years. They’re selling because, honestly, taking care of a 60-year-old glass house on a cliff is a full-time job.
Lessons for the Modern Design Lover
What can we actually take away from the Julius Shulman Case Study House 22 saga?
First, simplicity is a superpower. The house is basically two rectangles joined at a right angle. No clutter. No "extra" stuff.
Second, the view is the furniture. If you have a killer view, you don't need expensive art. The city of LA is the art.
Third, and maybe most importantly, photography changes reality. Without Shulman, the Stahl House might have been just another cool mid-century project. With him, it became a legend. He didn't just document the architecture; he sold a lifestyle that people are still trying to buy 66 years later.
How to Experience the "Stahl" Vibe Yourself
If you can't afford the $25 million asking price, there are still ways to channel that Shulman energy:
- Check for remaining tour slots: Before the sale closes, the family may still be hosting small groups. It is the only way to feel the "hovering" sensation in the living room.
- Study the lighting: If you’re a photographer, look at how Shulman balanced the interior and exterior light. Try a long exposure at dusk and "pop" a flash inside your own home.
- Read the family's book: The Stahl House: Case Study House #22 by Shari and Bruce Stahl. It’s full of the messy, human details—like the time they tried to grow a tree through a hole in the roof and it just kept dying.
The house is a reminder that great things usually happen when a "difficult" client meets a "stubborn" architect and a "visionary" photographer. It’s a perfect storm that we’re lucky was caught on film.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking to visit or research the site further, keep an eye on the official Stahl House website for updates on the transition to new ownership. Many historic sales in LA come with "preservation easements" that might keep the house open to the public in some capacity, even under private hands.