In the U.S. of the late 1960s, having a fallout shelter in your backyard was the most normal thing in the world. There were plenty of reasons to be concerned about an imminent nuclear attack. The Communist Bloc of countries was on a warpath against the U.S., there were wars in the Middle East, and the democracies in the Americas were on the verge of social upheaval. Today, the situation is different.
Silicon Valley’s billionaire survivalists have already quietly built mansions with private bunkers in New Zealand or are getting ready to go into space. But what alternative do the rest of the millionaires on Earth have to protect themselves in the event of an apocalyptic event? Survival Condo has a solution: It's offering a luxury fallout shelter for the richest among us. The catch: Only a few millionaires can afford it.
Survival Condo is an American company founded by Larry Hill, who in 2010 bought a Cold War nuclear silo somewhere in Kansas. A CGTN America video allows us to see the inside in detail.
Cold War Remnants Turned into Luxury Apartments
Hill has converted the cold vertical shaft that once protected the Atlas F ballistic missiles, which carried nuclear warheads, into a 15-story underground bunker complex of private luxury apartments. The goal: to protect its residents from the devastating effects of one of these weapons.
In true Fallout 76 style, the hermetic complex has everything necessary to provide its residents with the shelter and sustenance they need to survive an apocalypse for at least five years, but with an added layer of comfort. After all, a millionaire is a millionaire, even in the middle of a nuclear winter.
The complex can accommodate about 75 people, including staff, in apartments fully equipped and customized by the owner. Their price ranges are as follows:
- $1.5 million for the smaller apartments (904 square feet), which can house three to five people. They come in one or two bedrooms units and include a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room.
- $3 million for the suites (1,830 square feet). These are perfect for six to 10 people, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room.
- The most luxurious option costs $4.5 million for a fully customizable 3,605-square-foot apartment.
The building has a private security force and is entirely self-sufficient, incorporating its own air and water filtration system, hydroponic farming systems, and even a private fish farm.
According to The Guardian, a 1960 report by the U.S. National Science Foundation found that one of the main psychological challenges faced by those who have to remain in a bunker for extended periods (in addition to the pressure to survive) is knowing not how long they will be confined. The uncertainty can lead to “difficulty concentrating, irritability, depression, and personality disorders.”
To mitigate these effects, the developers of the complex have created common spaces that mimic the everyday reality that people can enjoy on the Earth's surface. The common spaces include a swimming pool and spa, a climbing wall, a gym, a classroom, a library, a movie theater, an operating room, and a system of screens throughout the complex that mimic windows overlooking green meadows. In short, it's a dystopian future within reach of only 1% of the population.
Images | Pexels (Erik Mclean) | Wikimedia Commons (Dietmar Rabich)