17. Earth Sheltering
Talking about how the home blends into the scenery brings us to the next topic – earth sheltering. This is an architectural practice which uses earth against the building walls to reduce heat loss. On top of these benefits, this technique also makes the building look like it has a lower impact on the environment, which, of course, it does. It seems that it was an important thing for Gates to make sure that his home blends well into the environment, with loads of trees to surround it.
16. There’s a water stream running through the house
Do you have an aquarium in your home? That’s great because Bill Gates has an artificial stream, complete with fish running through parts of his house. Outside the building, there’s a wetland estuary which, along with the stream, were created to solve issues with runoff that the large walls of the building may have created. There are salmon and trout swimming happily through the water if you were wondering.
15. Special pool
The Gates have access to a great pool measuring some 60 feet. It is housed in its own separate, 3,900 square feet building and if you go for a dive and swim underneath a glass wall, you will come up to a terrace area outside. Since this pool is obviously meant for many people given its size, there’s a locker room, multiple showers, and baths for those who want to take a dip.
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