One of the biggest and overstated estates in the world is owned by one of the richest men in the world for being the co-founder of Microsoft Bill Gates and his estate is known as Xanadu 2.0. This estate was inspired by the fictional home in the 1941 Orson Welles’ film “Citizen Kane” owned by Charles Foster Kane.
In the original film, the fictional home was named after the name of an ancient city known for its splendor. Gates decided to name the estate ‘Xanadu 2.0’ as a nod to the fictional home featured in the timeless film “Citizen Kane” and a testament to a futuristic home.
Much like Rome, this is estate wasn’t built in one day as Gates acquired the property in 1988 for $2 million with construction spanning over seven years and a $63 million investment. The construction required over half a million board feet of lumber, built with 500-year-old Douglas fir trees with 300 construction workers, and 100 of them were electricians to build one of the biggest tech homes.
Xanadu 2.0 is an ‘earth-sheltered house that regulates the temperature more efficiently by using the surroundings to reduce heat loss according to Business Insider. The house has another futuristic feature by changing the art on the walls with a simple press of a button as the walls of the house feature $80,000 worth of computer screens and storage devices valued at $150,000.
The 66,000 square foot home is estimated currently at $127million that is loaded with special technical features. The home features a unique sensor system, helping guests monitor the lighting and climate in any room. Lucky guests upon entrance are given a pin to interact with sensors located throughout the entire home with guests choosing their lighting and temperature preferences.
There is technology in every piece of the home including speakers are hidden behind the wallpaper that allows music to follow you from room to room. Xanadu 2.0 has 7 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms (10 full baths).
The 60-foot pool features its own separate 3,900-square-footbuilding with a locker room with two baths and four showers. The unique pool allows people to swim under a glass wall that leads to the terrace area. The pool also features an underwater stereo system so swimmers can listen to music.
There is a massive 2,500-square-foot exercise facility including a trampoline room with 20-foot ceilings, sauna, steam room, and locker rooms (one for men and one for women). For family time, there is a home movie theater for 20 people.
One of Gates’ prized places of Xanadu 2.0 is the2,100-square-foot-library with a dome roof with a quote from ‘The Great Gatsby ’on the ceiling reading, “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it” according to Gadgets Now. The library also features two secret bookcases (one containing a hidden bar) with some of the highest valued books in his collection including a 16th century Leonardo da Vinci, the Codex Leicester, that Gate acquires at an auction for $30.8 million.