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Coordinates: 47°37′40″N 122°14′31″W / 47.62774°N 122.24194°W / 47.62774; -122.24194
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{{Short description|Mansion in Medina, Washington}}
'''[[Bill Gates]]' house''' is a huge [[earth sheltering|earth-sheltered home]] in the side of a hill overlooking [[Lake Washington]] in [[Medina, Washington]].


{{Infobox building
==General==
| name = Bill Gates' house
The Gates home, one of the most expensive houses in the world, is a modern 21st century house in the "[[Pacific lodge]]" style, with classic features such as a large private library with a domed reading room. According to [[King County, Washington|King County]] public records, as of 2002, the total assessed value of the property (land and house) is $113 million, and the annual [[property tax]] is just over $1 million. The home and its accompanying structures cover some 66,000 square feet. The address is 1835 73rd Ave NE, [[Medina, Washington|Medina, WA]] 98039.[http://labnol.blogspot.com/2005/05/inside-bill-gates-home.html]<BR><BR>
| former_names =
Gates often entertains the rich and powerful at his home. Once when [[Bill Gates]] had a private party at the house, the [[U.S. Department of Homeland Security]] announced a "temporary security zone" around Gates' Lake Washington home which locked down all of Lake Washington south of the Highway 520 bridge and stayed in effect for two days.
| image = Residence of Bill Gates.jpg
| image_alt = Bill Gates' mansion annat
| image_size = 300
| caption =
| location = [[Medina, Washington|Medina]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|47.62774|-122.24194|region:US-WA|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| cost =
| references =
| map_type =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| building_type =
| architectural_style = [[Pacific lodge]]
| structural_system = [[Earth shelter|Earth-sheltered home]]
| governing_body =
}}


[[Bill Gates]] designed and owns a [[mansion]] that is on [[Lake Washington]] in [[Medina, Washington|Medina]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]]. The {{convert|66000|sqft|adj=on}} mansion<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirsch |first=Noah |title=Here Are The Properties At Stake In The Gates Divorce |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2021/05/05/here-are-the-properties-at-stake-in-the-gates-divorce/ |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> incorporates technology in its design.{{Specify|date=May 2021}}<ref>{{cite web | title=Bill Gates' stately pleasure dome and futuristic home | date=November 23, 1997 | url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/971201/archive_008409_2.htm | author=Folkers, Richard | access-date=August 24, 2017 | archive-date=September 17, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917213311/https://money.usnews.com/money/business-economy/articles/1997/11/23/xanadu-20 | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2009, [[property tax]]es were reported to be US$1.063 million on a total assessed value of US$147.5 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/blogs/dailyweekly/2008/05/gates_taxman_cometh.php|title=Taxman Cometh|publisher=Seattle Weekly|date=May 16, 2008|author=Anderson, Rick|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130417180124/http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/blogs/dailyweekly/2008/05/gates_taxman_cometh.php|archive-date=April 17, 2013}}</ref>
==Features==
* Electronics are used abundantly; visitors are surveyed upon entrance and given a [[microchip]] that sends signals throughout the house to adjust temperature and other conditions according to preset user preferences.
* If you wish, your music will follow you throughout the house - even at the bottom of the pool.
* The 17-by-60-foot swimming pool has an underwater music system and a floor painted in a fossil motif. Swimmers can dive under a glass wall and emerge outdoors by a terrace. A locker room off the pool has four showers and two baths.[http://www.gadgetopia.com/post/3923]
* There is an elevator if you don't want to take the stairs.
* There are no visible electrical outlets anywhere. Gates does not like "clutter".
* The wood columns from main floor to roof in entry area are over 70 feet tall.
* All of the timbers used inside and out are finished the same - inches have been removed from the exterior of the wood and then sanded to a satin finish. They are nearly perfect in that there are almost no knots.
* Some of the interior passage doors weigh over 800 lbs, but are balanced for easy use.
* The roofing is stainless steel.
* The floor is heated everywhere including the driveway and walks.
* The security system (automated and personnel) is redundant. Hidden cameras are everywhere, including the interior stone walls. Sensors in the floor can track a person to within 6 inches. The system is monitored at the [[Microsoft]] Redmond campus.
* There are 52 miles of communication cable in the building.
* Gates insisted on saving a 40 year old maple adjacent to the driveway. The tree is monitored electronically 24 hours per day via computer. If it seems dry, it gets just the right amount of water automatically delivered.
* The entry gate senses when your car approaches and opens fully by the time you arrive.
* There are several garages. Gates has a personal 4-car garage. The house for the maintenance staff has its own garage. The nanny parks in the 6-car carport across from the main entry. Additional cars can be parked in a subterranean arched concrete building which through an electronic transformation becomes a basketball court.
* Very old antique cabinets from [[China]] have been brought in and built into the walls with adjacent paneling built to match the cabinets exactly.
* The master bathtub can be filled to the right temperature and depth by Gates as he drives home from work.
* The shower curtain next to the spa is a 4500 lb slab of granite.
* All bolts throughout the house are stainless steel and oriented the same direction.
* All woodwork is flawless. Much of the woodwork is of various rare types from all over the world - imported especially for this house.
* Acoustics are a concern throughout the house. Various woods and fabrics are used with acoustics in mind. Acoustic panels in the ballroom move out of sight on their own.
* The ventilation system also conditions the air for health and comfort.
* Melinda has 42 lineal feet of clothes hanging space in her closet operated like a dry cleaner's rack.
* The reinforcing steel in all concrete is four times the code minimum. No. 8 steel wrapped with no. 5 ties was common for simple columns.
* The [[theater]] (underground in a concrete shell) is the most state of the art theatre in the world according to specialty contractor.
* Many doors are blended so well with the walls that it is hard to see them.
* Situated in the hillside along the east bank of [[Lake Washington]], the house can be seen by over 350,000 daily commuters on the [[Washington State Route 520|SR-520]] [[Evergreen Point Floating Bridge]], which is just to the north of the house.[http://www.xent.com/FoRK-archive/august98/0451.html]


The house was designed collaboratively by [[Bohlin Cywinski Jackson]] and Cutler-Anderson Architects of [[Bainbridge Island, Washington|Bainbridge Island]], Washington.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bcj.com/public/projects/project/12.html |title=Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.com |access-date=February 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928023214/http://www.bcj.com/public/projects/project/12.html |archive-date=September 28, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="Cutler Anderson">{{cite web |url=http://cutler-anderson.com/ |title=Cutler Anderson Architects |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=cutler-anderson.com |access-date=August 10, 2016 |archive-date=April 28, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010428041406/http://www.cutler-anderson.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | last=Becraft | first=Michael B. | title=Bill Gates: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies) | page=130 | publisher=Greenwood | year=2014 | isbn=978-1440830136 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=klV_BAAAQBAJ&q=bill+gates+house++Bohlin+Cywinski+Jackson+Cutler-Anderson+Architects&pg=PA130 | access-date=2019-10-01 | archive-date=2020-09-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917213254/https://books.google.com/books?id=klV_BAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA130&dq=bill+gates+house++Bohlin+Cywinski+Jackson+Cutler-Anderson+Architects&pg=PA130&hl=en#v=onepage&q=bill%20gates%20house%20%20Bohlin%20Cywinski%20Jackson%20Cutler-Anderson%20Architects&f=false | url-status=live }}</ref> The mansion is a modern design in the [[Pacific lodge]] style, with classic features such as a private library with a dome-shaped roof and [[Oculus (architecture)|oculus]].<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/usnews/tech/billgate/gates.htm "Technology: Bill Gates' House"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104084936/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/tech/billgate/gates.htm |date=January 4, 2006 }}. ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''. Retrieved July 24, 2012.</ref><ref>[https://www.usnews.com/usnews/tech/billgate/room1a.htm "Pool Building"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011001511/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/tech/billgate/room1a.htm |date=October 11, 2007 }}. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved July 24, 2012.</ref> The house features an estate-wide server system, a {{convert|60|ft|adj=on}} swimming pool with an underwater music system, a {{convert|2500|sqft|adj=on}} gym, and a {{convert|1000|sqft|adj=on}} dining room.<ref>{{cite web |title=Photo Gallery: Homes Of The Billionaires |url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/billionaire-homes-expensive-billionaires-2009-lifestyle-real-estate-homes.html#7891dd1a3c43 |website=[[Forbes]] |access-date=September 17, 2020 |date=March 11, 2009 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917213254/https://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/billionaire-homes-expensive-billionaires-2009-lifestyle-real-estate-homes.html#7891dd1a3c43 |url-status=live }}</ref> There are six kitchens and 24 bathrooms, ten of which contain bathtubs.<ref>https://www.arch2o.com/tour-inside-bill-gates-house/#:~:text=There%20are%206%20kitchens%20in,10%20of%20which%20contain%20bathtubs. {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
==Construction==
* The house was designed by James Cutler of James Cutler Architects and the architectural firm [http://www.bcj.com/ Bohlin Cywinski Jackson] (BCJ).
* It is rumored that the house was designed on a Macintosh.[http://www.architosh.com/news/1999-07/0730-gateshousemac.phtml]
* At one point there were 300 workers working on the house, including 104 electricians.[http://www.netscrap.com/netscrap_detail.cfm?scrap_id=528]
* When an interior designer disagreed with the layout of a portion of the home, the conflict was resolved by demolition and the removal of 60 cubic yards of cured, cast-in-place concrete.
* An existing cedar tree was determined by Gates to be in the wrong location and moved 6 inches.
* Construction took 7 years.[http://www.zpub.com/un/bill/ecology.html]


The house was made fun of in ''[[Dilbert]]'' in January 1997 when the lead character was forced to become a towel boy after his failure to read an [[end-user license agreement]] over purchased [[Microsoft]] software.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tuesday January 14, 1997 |url=https://dilbert.com/strip/1997-01-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917213254/https://dilbert.com/strip/1997-01-14 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |access-date=September 17, 2020 |website=[[Dilbert]]}}</ref>
==See also==
Some online news articles call the house [[Xanadu (Citizen Kane)|Xanadu 2.0]], a reference to the motion picture ''[[Citizen Kane]],'' which was itself a reference to the opening lines of [[Samuel Taylor Coleridge]]'s classic poem ''[[Kubla Khan]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=19 crazy facts about Bill Gates' $127 million mansion|website=[[Business Insider]]|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/crazy-facts-about-bill-gates-house-2016-11#its-worth-at-least-127-million-today-1}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Home feature: Bill Gates' mansion|url=https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/lifestyle/article/4/home-feature-bill-gates-mansion}}</ref>
⚫
* [[Bill Gates]]

* [[Microsoft]]
==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Bill Gates's house}}
* [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/tech/billgate/gates.htm Virtual tour of Bill Gates' house]
* [https://blue.kingcounty.com/Assessor/eRealProperty/Dashboard.aspx?ParcelNbr=9208900079 Tax info on the house from the King County GIS website]
* [http://jeffmaurone.typepad.com/metanoya/2004/07/more_on_my_dinn.html Microsoft intern's account of dining at the house]

* [http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=47.627453~-122.242354&style=o&lvl=2&scene=3695344 Aerial view from Windows Live Local]
⚫
{{Bill Gates}}
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/amit-agarwal/tags/billgateshousephotos/ Numerous pictures of the house from the lake]
* [http://www.zpub.com/un/bill/ecology.html Pictures before and after construction]
* [http://www.goehner.com/gates.htm Pictures from outside]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=47.627342,-122.243060&spn=0.004788,0.009846&t=k&hl=en Google Maps view]
* [http://papertoys.com/gates.htm A paper cutout model of the house that you can build]
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1564963411 Book of photography of interior of the house]


[[Category:Bill Gates]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bill Gates' House}}
[[Category:Bill Gates|House]]
[[Category:Gates family]]
[[Category:Houses in King County, Washington]]
[[Category:Medina, Washington]]

Latest revision as of 21:28, 30 November 2024

Bill Gates' house
Bill Gates' mansion annat
Map
General information
Architectural stylePacific lodge
LocationMedina, Washington, United States
Coordinates47°37′40″N 122°14′31″W / 47.62774°N 122.24194°W / 47.62774; -122.24194
Technical details
Structural systemEarth-sheltered home

Bill Gates designed and owns a mansion that is on Lake Washington in Medina, Washington. The 66,000-square-foot (6,100 m2) mansion[1] incorporates technology in its design.[specify][2] In 2009, property taxes were reported to be US$1.063 million on a total assessed value of US$147.5 million.[3]

The house was designed collaboratively by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and Cutler-Anderson Architects of Bainbridge Island, Washington.[4][5][6] The mansion is a modern design in the Pacific lodge style, with classic features such as a private library with a dome-shaped roof and oculus.[7][8] The house features an estate-wide server system, a 60-foot (18 m) swimming pool with an underwater music system, a 2,500-square-foot (230 m2) gym, and a 1,000-square-foot (93 m2) dining room.[9] There are six kitchens and 24 bathrooms, ten of which contain bathtubs.[10]

The house was made fun of in Dilbert in January 1997 when the lead character was forced to become a towel boy after his failure to read an end-user license agreement over purchased Microsoft software.[11] Some online news articles call the house Xanadu 2.0, a reference to the motion picture Citizen Kane, which was itself a reference to the opening lines of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's classic poem Kubla Khan.[12][13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kirsch, Noah. "Here Are The Properties At Stake In The Gates Divorce". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  2. ^ Folkers, Richard (November 23, 1997). "Bill Gates' stately pleasure dome and futuristic home". Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  3. ^ Anderson, Rick (May 16, 2008). "Taxman Cometh". Seattle Weekly. Archived from the original on April 17, 2013.
  4. ^ "Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.com". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
  5. ^ "Cutler Anderson Architects". cutler-anderson.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2001. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  6. ^ Becraft, Michael B. (2014). Bill Gates: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies). Greenwood. p. 130. ISBN 978-1440830136. Archived from the original on 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  7. ^ "Technology: Bill Gates' House" Archived January 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  8. ^ "Pool Building" Archived October 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  9. ^ "Photo Gallery: Homes Of The Billionaires". Forbes. March 11, 2009. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  10. ^ https://www.arch2o.com/tour-inside-bill-gates-house/#:~:text=There%20are%206%20kitchens%20in,10%20of%20which%20contain%20bathtubs. [bare URL]
  11. ^ "Tuesday January 14, 1997". Dilbert. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  12. ^ "19 crazy facts about Bill Gates' $127 million mansion". Business Insider.
  13. ^ "Home feature: Bill Gates' mansion".
[edit]
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