Inside the luxury bunkers designed to protect the rich and famous

Billionaire bunkers for ‘the world’s most powerful individuals'

Though the concept of a luxury underground bunker designed to help you survive a global disaster in style may seem utterly dystopian, the Swiss company Oppidum is quickly turning fantasy into reality.

With the ever-burgeoning threats of environmental disaster, political unrest or even all-out nuclear war, Oppidum aspires to offer peace of mind – at least for those who can afford it. Find out more...

Luxury and security

Introducing Oppidum's L'Heritage line of luxury bespoke bunkers – fortified underground residences which can be constructed beneath existing mansions to enable residents to maintain a "super-luxury everyday lifestyle" in case of an above-ground catastrophe.

These 10,760-square-foot structures descend 49 feet below ground. They're built to NATO-standard ballistic and blast protection levels, using the same formulation of high-density concrete used to build nuclear power plants.

'Peace of mind'

While the concept of building a doomsday-style secret bunker may seem evidence of a somewhat pessimistic take on mankind's future, Oppidum founder and chief executive officer Jakub Zamrazil insists that the company takes an "optimistic view of the world", but adds that it is nevertheless wise to be prepared in an "uncertain world".

To that end, says Zamrazil, "an Oppidum provides peace of mind". And we should certainly hope so. While the baseline price for an Oppidum bunker is $10 million (£8m), their state-of-the-art L'Heritage model costs in the region of $100 million (£80m), according to the company's Head of Communications, Tom Grmela. Models without the luxury extras, such as staff quarters, start at around $60 million (£47.9m).

Hydraulically activated ramp entrance

The L'Heritage shelter is entered by means of a hydraulically activated ramp, which can be concealed so that it is "almost invisible" until it is opened.

The ramp allows vehicles to drive down into what Oppidum calls the parc fermé, a secure large underground garage guarded by its own security gate. Access to the bunker can also be provided by means of a flight of stairs down from the optional helipad.

Parc fermé

The parc fermé itself is built to museum security standards and can house an extensive luxury car collection safely below ground. As with every element of Oppidum's bunkers, the garage is customisable and can be constructed according to the required capacity.

Air-tight entrance

Once inside the garage, residents proceed through to the main entrance, an airlock that has been fully equipped as a decontamination chamber and enclosed by two sets of custom-made blast doors.

For maximum security, the outer door is controlled by a multi-biometric reader, which uses not only facial, but iris and palm recognition technology before granting access to the rest of the billionaire bunker.

A grand foyer

After passing through the second set of blast doors, guests are greeted by an extravagant entrance hall, featuring custom furnishings, fine-grain hardwood flooring and soaring 16-foot ceilings.

Design features throughout the bunker have been engineered to offset the sense of being underground; to this end, the entrance hall is lit by an opulent, hand-crafted glass chandelier that floods the spacious hall with light.

A luxurious lounge

Beyond the entry hall, an intimate lounge area provides residents with a luxurious space to relax together, separated from the rest of the underground complex by a set of secure doors.

The lounge boasts a state-of-the-art sound system for entertaining and, like the entry hall, features bespoke furniture and lighting fixtures.

Privacy and discretion

With a stated target clientele of "ultra-high-net-worth individuals", Oppidum is largely marketing to individuals with extensive business and investment interests.

Consequently, adjoining the lounge, a private meeting room offers a fully secured space for confidential discussions so that work can continue no matter the circumstances. A discreetly concealed button reveals both the underground garden and the adjoining gallery, visible through opaque-to-transparent walls.

The collections gallery

The gallery itself is the perfect hiding place for all your treasures. Constructed to the same anti-intrusion standards as commercial bank vaults, the gallery boasts top-of-the-line fire protection, ventilation, temperature and humidity control systems to keep everything in perfect condition, from paintings to porcelain.

Plus, with two walls of convertible opaque-to-transparent glass, you can easily view your treasures whenever you wish, from either the lounge or the meeting room.

The inner garden

Another special feature of the Oppidum is the seemingly depth-defying inner garden, in which a range of flowers, plants and trees flourish year-round, courtesy of a sophisticated automatic irrigation system.

Overhead, a skylight provides full light spectrum simulation, including sunrises, sunsets and changes in season.

In the lap pool of luxury

To ensure that all inhabitants can retain their physical fitness during their possibly indefinite stay below ground, the Oppidum includes a swimming pool worthy of a film set, which can be filled with either fresh or salt water.

Elsewhere in the complex, a fitness room can be equipped with a full collection of high-specification exercise machines.

Elegant entertaining

The dining room is another opulent affair, with the capacity to host numerous guests in luxury style. However, given the theoretically world-upending circumstances which would precipitate a retreat into an Oppidum bunker, we’re not sure how much entertaining these rooms will see.

Home theatre

However, for the bunker's inhabitants, there is certainly no need to fear boredom during a longer stay. A plush home theatre equipped with a projection screen, massive built-in digital storage capacity and a host of live feed options will enable you to view everything from family-favourite films to live news updates, all from the comfort and security of your bespoke recliner.

Business and pleasure

The L'Heritage model is designed so that the private living area, which includes the lounge and all bedrooms, is securely separated from the more public sections of the bunker, enabling the occupant to safely separate business and family life when inhabiting the bunker full-time.

According to Oppidum’s website, the bunker’s living quarters can be designed to accommodate as many guests as the buyer requires.

Practical provisions

In addition to its extravagant, luxury-driven design, the Oppidum also includes numerous practical features designed to make it suitable for long-term living.

NASA-level technology allows food stocks to be stored for months or even years, while an infirmary comes equipped with essential medical supplies. There is also the option to install an armoury, should the buyer wish.

Technical control centre

Above all else, the key selling feature of an Oppidum bunker is the state-of-the-art technology that secures it from nuclear and environmental threats.

Separated from the bunker’s living areas, a suite of technical rooms sustains underground living. Though the main systems operate autonomously, a set of backup circuits is primed to respond instantly if required.

Air filtration

Oppidum bunkers are designed to be fully airtight and gastight, providing complete separation from the external atmosphere if required. The bunkers are equipped with two independent air filtration units, a standard one for peacetime use, and a military-grade chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) system.

Each unit is equipped with a carbon dioxide removal system and an auxiliary oxygen supply that provides breathable air when required.

Blackout backups

The bunker’s water is sourced from a private underground well, completely separate from the public water supply. In case of a power outage, blackout or instability in the grid, the power system seamlessly switches to one of its multiple alternative power sources, including twin diesel generators and a fleet of backup batteries.

A lengthy build

With so many complicated technical elements, not to mention the luxurious interior design and custom detailing, it’s no wonder that these bespoke bunkers can take between three and five years to construct.

The bunkers are intended to be sunk beneath existing homes, a process that requires extensive surveying of local geological and hydrological conditions, which can substantially impact the construction time.

"The most powerful individuals in the world"

Despite all the luxury and impressive technology, it's hard to ignore the grim reason these structures exist in the first place. If the idea of the world’s 0.1% burying their heads in the sand in the face of global disaster while the rest of the population is left to cope with the fallout sounds unfair or socially stratifying, well, it's meant to.

Principal Oppidum architect and designer Marc Prigent makes no bones about the fact that these bunkers aren't for everyone, and describes his desired clients as "the most powerful individuals in the world".

Now take a tour of more disaster-proof bunkers around the world