Bill Gates is among the longest-reigning holders of the title “world's richest man.” The billionaire founded the tech empire Microsoft Corp., which propelled him to his 12-figure net worth. And as many would expect from someone who founded one of the largest tech companies in existence, he spared no expense in building his own home.
When you enter the home, you receive a key that stores your preferences for everything from room temperature to lighting and music. The key tracks your location, and as a security measure, if you are walking on the floor and no key is detected, you will set off the alarm system. The impressive mansion boasted a number of tech-forward features long before the modern-day smart home was imagined.
The Rise Of Everyday Smart Homes
Nearly everyone has some form of a smart feature in their homes today. Basic thermostats can be programmed to maintain certain temperatures throughout the day and night. And companies like Amazon.com Inc., with their Alexa-brand products, can allow most basic smart homes to have speech-to-action features. Startups like RYSE even allow regular homes to have luxury products like smart shades and blinds for a fraction of the cost. RYSE is a popular startup that’s been featured on the reality TV show “Dragon’s Den” and recently launched an investment campaign that anyone can invest in.
Bill Gates’s Mansion Technology
Built on a large plot in Washington state, Xanadu 2.0 is surrounded by properties that Gates paid $14 million to ensure privacy. Inspired by Charles Foster Kane's home in “Citizen Kane,” The construction of this unique dwelling involved 300 laborers and took seven years. The home, valued at over $130 million today, cost $63 million to build because of the vast technology integrated into it.
Architects James Cutler and Peter Bohlin were behind the design of the Pacific lodge-themed house, while architect and designer Thierry Despont was appointed by Melinda Gates to design the interior. This grandiose home, made out of 500 Douglas fir trees and seven types of stones, was a bachelor's dream but reportedly a "bride's nightmare," according to Melinda Gates. The mansion, filled with state-of-the-art software and high-tech displays, gave an impression of living inside a video game, causing Melinda Gates to halt construction at one point.
Despite its massive size at 66,000 square feet, Xanadu 2.0 only has seven bedrooms but makes up for it with 24 bathrooms. But the real fascination lies in its cutting-edge technology. Upon visiting, guests are given a pinlike device that captures their personal preferences — from temperature and lighting to music. The mansion’s floors are embedded with sensors that instantly detect the presence of anyone without a pin.
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Technology isn't just for the inhabitants — it extends to the trees. A 40-year-old maple tree, Bill Gates's favorite, is under constant surveillance. If it becomes too dry, water is automatically pumped into it. But the amenities do not stop there. Xanadu 2.0 is a true pleasure dome with a trampoline room that has a 20-foot ceiling, six kitchens, a steam room, a sauna, a 25,000-square-foot gym and an artificial stream along the lake filled with sand delivered from St. Lucia.
One of the mansion's crowning jewels is the 2,100-square-foot library housing two secret bookcases, a hidden bar and a quote from “The Great Gatsby” inscribed on the ceiling. It also contains a 16th-century Leonardo da Vinci manuscript — the “Codex Leicester” — that Gates bought for $30.8 million. Gates's youngest daughter Phoebe is particularly fond of this space, spending ample time reading and exploring its vast collection.
Though Melinda Gates had expressed her desire for a simpler, cozier home in the future before separating from Bill Gates, the couple's children have created memories in Xanadu 2.0. Their daughter Jennifer had her bridal shower organized at the mansion, turning it into a fairytalelike setting.
Xanadu 2.0 is so extravagant that in 2009, a tour of the mansion was auctioned off for $35,000 as part of Microsoft's annual charity drive. Despite its hefty price tag and arguably excessive use of technology, Xanadu 2.0 continues to stand as a symbol of the power of technology and a testament to the tech visionary that is Bill Gates.
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