Brady and Bundchen's gargantuan 'green' manse nears completion

Construction wraps up on the really, really large Los Angeles home of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel environmentalist Gisele Bundchen.

Thu, Dec 22 2011 at 10:45 AM EST

Gisele Budchen's 'green mega-mansion in Brentwood, Calif.

Photo: ZUMA Press

Before your eyes roll completely out of your head with the news that accomplished underpants model Gisele Bundchen and her husband, lusted-after professional football playa Tom Brady, will soon be moving into their 22,000-square-foot “green” dream home in the chichi Brentwood section of Los Angeles (neighbors include fellow mega-rich supermodel Heidi Klum), I’ll say this much: at least she tried.

Brazil-born Bundchen, in addition to her modeling and occasional acting duties, has served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 2009, and frequently lends her face and name to various environmental causes (perhaps something she picked up during all those years dating Leonardo DiCaprio?). The 31-year-old beauty with a chronic case of foot-in-mouth disease was also recently named Best Green International Celebrity.

So of course, Bundchen felt the need (or the pressure, rather) to walk the talk when it came to reportedly outfitting her $20 million ~~home~~ castle with as many eco-friendly bells and whistles as possible: solar panels, energy-efficient appliances and lighting, rainwater recycling, sustainable building materials, and more. The home, which has been under construction for 18 months, also features eight bedrooms, a six-car garage, a nursery for Bundchen and Brady’s young son Benjamin, a wine cellar, an elevator, a training area for Brady, an indoor bridge connecting the two wings of the home, a lagoon-shaped pool, and enough water features to make Celine Dion drool at the mouth. And what? No breast-feeding suite?

The home, which looks more like a hotel than anything, appears to be a chateau-inspired monstrosity, of the kind favored by NFL players and Candy Spelling. And from what I’ve seen of the nearly completed home, I don’t think the Bundchen-Brady residence is that exciting or innovative looking … just a really, really big home for two really, really good-looking people who receive really, really big paychecks. I'd be curious to hear more about the supposed sustainable features once the couple is all moved in.

Via [Boston Herald]

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robinbirdee 01/14/2012 11:50 AM

sorry, no need for a home that large!

SixDegrees 12/31/2011 08:11 AM

I really don't care how they spend their money. But if they're going to call a 22,000 square foot house 'green', they better be ready for the ridicule that's going to follow and is so richly deserved.

JR 12/31/2011 09:05 AM

The size of the home doesn't matter. It's the building process and components involved. My partner designs "green" homes of all sizes. Size doesn't matter! LOL

Huge 12/31/2011 03:34 AM

Ridiculous.

Lets Produce. 12/31/2011 00:55 AM

Large homes meant to impress are so 2007 before the great recession. Building a home this big today only says your living in yesterday's world. Big homes absolutely don't impress in 2012. The home if you can call it that looks like a shopping mall or office complex. If I were a billionaire, I would probably feel guilty if my home was even 6000 sq. feet. Of course, this couple is still pretty young. Hopefully they will get smarter with age and eventually see the insanity of their past.

WTH 12/30/2011 20:04 PM

Really, what do 2 people need 22,000 sq ft for?? OMG! This is nothing more than a blatant way to say "look at me" and rub people's noses in their good fortune of being born with beauty and talent. Really?? Maybe it's their way of lowering the unemployment rate...can you imagine the number of people they'll need to employ to clean, maintain and safeguard this monstrosity? So much for humility and plain ole common sense.

patti 12/30/2011 18:37 PM

Anyone who has to have a 22,000 sq foot home is not green in my opinion. They are greedy. What a joke Tom and his wife are.

Elizabeth 12/30/2011 16:21 PM

I agree with TC. Its not environmentally friendly to build a monster home - I don't care how many solar panels she puts in. Its a waste of land, materials, etc. But I also agree it probably pumped alot of money into the local economy. Gisele's from Brazil - why not spend $20 mil to help save the Amazon basin??

Anonymous 12/30/2011 18:00 PM

Obviously these people make far, far too much money. 22,000 square feet in Brentwood - no wonder it's $20 mil - and for what? What does anyone do with 22,000 square feet? It's ridiculously large. Look at how many megastars have moved out of these huge places - because it's just a ridiculous amount of space for anyone. We have places like this in the ritzy areas where I live and those people by and large don't spend much time there at all - it's meant to impress. If I had their money I'd build a.... More

Albert E 12/30/2011 11:52 AM

WOW, all this for just 20 Million???? What a steal I want one!!!!

tc 12/30/2011 11:13 AM

Lets see: Clear about 10 acres and build a castle? Nothing green about it.
If you want to build a castle, fine. Just don't call it energy efficient.

mike 12/30/2011 10:31 AM

Haters!

Diane 12/30/2011 17:08 PM

Oh boo-hoo, Mike - can't you come up with any kind of argument to dispute those you deem calling "haters"? And don't be such a weenie by reporting the post. Man up!

Dave M 12/30/2011 10:46 AM

Mike, hope you don't think I'm hating. As a life long Pats fan that started watching them in the 70's & 80's, I feel Brady deserves every penny he's made and getting a supermodel is the cherry on top. My first statement was not sarcastic. If I had the money, I'd probably build the same home. Plus think about all the money they're pumping back into the local economy with all the construction workers, sub-contractors, and illegal immigrant day laborers.

markflag 12/30/2011 19:43 PM

Cherry. A very unfortunate word choice.

Dave M 12/30/2011 10:18 AM

Dude won the genetic lottery for looks and athletic ability and pulled it together to win 3 superbowls! Why not have bangin', not so bright, wife and a crazy huge home in LA? Next we just need a new LA celeb "Wife Swap" episode with the Brady's and Beckham's.