CNBC
Peter Thiel is a tech billionaire who founded PayPal and Palantir, and supported Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. He has submitted plans to build a complex on a 193-hectare (477 acres) property he owns in the South Island of New Zealand. Thiel, an early investor in Facebook who sits on its board, bought the estate in 2015 for a reported $13.5 million through an Auckland-headquartered company he owns called Second Star Limited. Queenstown Lakes District Council filed plans for the complex on Tuesday. They were published by the council on Tuesday. The plans show several small buildings that blend in with the beautiful landscape of Lake Wanaka. Kengo Kuma, Tokyo Olympic Stadium architect, and Associates have created images of the plans. They show a private residence built into a hillside, as well as a luxury lodge that can accommodate 24 people. The plans include a meditation pod, water features, and a back-of-house structure that is still to be designed. Kengo Kuma and Associates stated that the goal was to create an organic architecture that blends into the landscape and respects the native nature.
The lodge will have 10 bedrooms.
Spas and theatres
The "owner's cabin" has a spa, a swimming pool, theatre lounge and office. While the guest cabin boasts its own spa and pool as well as a library and 10 guest rooms with uninterrupted views to Lake Wanaka or the Southern Alps, the guest cabin is equipped with a library and 10 guest bedrooms. Jo Fyfe (a senior planner at John Edmonds and Associates) said that the proposed lodge's architecture is "unique." He also conducted an environmental assessment of the complex's effects on the environment. "The thoughtful design and placements of buildings in the landscape are considerate and respect the environment. A green roof will be used to support the sympathetic design. It will feature the same natural rustic planting palette as the hillocks they will be found within. According to plans, up to 15 people would work at the site during peak hours, but none would live there. It is not clear when the lodge will be available or what it will cost.
Kiwi property portfolio
2017 saw the revelation that Thiel was granted citizenship by New Zealand. New Zealand is a remote country that is far from the most populous areas of the globe. This has made it a popular choice for high-net worth individuals over the years. At the beginning of the year, Larry Page, the billionaire founder of Google, was granted residency. The country is home to approximately 5 million people and has been dubbed "preppers", those who prepare for any catastrophic events that could pose a danger to humanity. There is even a website that helps families prepare for survival in New Zealand. According to reports, Thiel planned to build an apocalypse-proof bunker at his estate. It is currently being used as a farm. Although some buildings are built into hillsides it is unclear if they will be used as bunkers. Thiel representatives did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Three pods make up the guest lodge, with a separate pod serving as a private residence. Computer-generated images of the luxury lodge as well as the house.
The prepper craze first came to the forefront in January 2017 when a New Yorker article titled "Doomsday preparation for the super-rich" showed how New Zealand is almost like a paradise for wealthy preppers. It is remote, geopolitically stable and sparsely populated. It could be self-sufficient in water, food and energy, if necessary. Sam Altman, who was the ex-president of the prestigious Y-Combinator accelerator, had previously told the same magazine that he would fly to Thiel’s New Zealand home in case of a pandemic. Thiel has owned several properties in New Zealand over time, though on smaller plots. It is not clear which house Altman is referring to. He also owns a Queenstown home with four bedrooms that he purchased in 2011 for $4.8million. The house was then equipped with a panic room and fire escape. He also owns property in Auckland.
Thiel's love of Aotearoa
