Hacker News Reader

Comment by paxys | Hacker News Reader

It's a fancy resort house on a fancy island. Hardly the first of its kind. I have no idea why journalists keep hyping the "doomsday bunker" angle so much. Heck having basic off-grid facilities is logical these days in any new construction if you can afford it.

View on HN

From TFA: "The property, known as Koolau Ranch, will, according to planning documents, include a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter, have its own energy and food supplies, and, when coupled with land purchase prices, will cost in excess of $270 million."

It's not hard to see how journalists -- anyone, really -- could conclude that Zuckerberg is building a doomsday bunker.

I'm curious of the challenges in designing and constructing such a compound. For example, the limited access to resources needed to maintain the compound (air filtration, waste recycling, electrical components, etc.) would have to be baked into it's design somehow.

You are making the assumption it is for long term habitation, which might not be the case.

For long term habitation, you would solve it like any other engineering problem. How many people do you need to support, against what threats, for how long and what safety margins do you need.

Air is a solved problem, you either pull/push from the outside environment and filter on its way in (open circuit), or you treat the air (closed circuit). Waste goes into a leech field or is incinerated. Electrical is generated / stored onsite or powered externally.

I don't think that the reporters have ever dealt with high security requirements. Things like safe rooms, underground evacuation routes and multiple secure egresses are not that uncommon for high net worth individuals.

Some people have security teams they pay millions of dollars per year for, who ensure they aren't kidnapped, injured or otherwise harassed.

> Things like safe rooms, underground evacuation routes and multiple secure egresses

> Some people have security teams they pay millions of dollars per year for

I mean you're not even wrong? This seems to reinforce everything TFA said about Zuckerberg's $250 million island compound with 5,000 square foot underground living quarters being a "survival bunker."

There's a difference between "if we have intruders or there's a natural disaster we have a safe space to shelter in" and "omg Zuckerberg is preparing for the end of humanity!!".

Reply on news.ycombinator.com