The ‘James Bond’ actor Pierce Brosnan once bought two large plots in Malibu with his dream house in mind. The beloved actor invested a lot of time and money into creating his dream home, with sustainability at the forefront. The Orchid House is one of the earliest examples of the sustainable and eco-friendly homes that celebrities invested in. Here is a look into the actor’s real estate profile and one of the best examples of how seriously some stars take their responsibility toward the environment and climate.
Pierce Brosnan bought two Malibu plots in 2000
Pierce Brosnan made the big purchase of two plots of land in Malibu along with his wife, Keely Shaye Smith. The two invested USD 5.1 million and USD 2.25 million simply to buy the land and the original mid-century ranch house built on one of the plots. However, the couple wanted to start from scratch and demolished the home soon after finalising the purchase.Second Shelters further reported that this was followed by long, hard, and continuous work from the couple and their team of contractors over 12 years to build what everyone now knows as Orchid House, or ‘eco-mansion.’ The home was directly inspired by Thai and Balinese themes, an ode to the country after Brosnan fell in love with the place in 1997 while filming for ‘Tomorrow Never Dies.’
More about Pierce Brosnan’s complete Orchid House
The complete compound now spans more than an acre, with around 117 feet of ocean frontage. The main house, along with the guest house, has wide plank teak flooring and scissor-truss ceilings. One thing the star and his partner prioritised in their dream home was windows. The entire space is covered with windows where they can let in fresh sunlight.
How Pierce Brosnan made the Orchid House sustainable
One main aspect of the home comes from multiple features the actor installed during the building process that make it extremely eco-friendly. These features include an on-site water recycling plant, along with low-flow toilets, custom energy-saving lighting throughout the compound, and a solar-powered compost heap that turns itself. Solar panels across the house are directly connected to the pool and guest cabana, which can help heat the area up. Not only that, but he also has a system in place where unused energy can be sold off to the power grid if not needed.
Pierce Brosnan’s Orchid House once reached a valuation of USD 100 million
Brosnan had invested around USD 8 million into the plots and a lot more money into building the home over the years; he first listed the property for USD 100 million in 2020. A year later, after failing to secure a potential buyer, he took the house off the market.Now, only two days ago, Brosnan and Keely confirmed that after having the home for around 26 years, they are ready to part ways with their Southeast Asian-inspired home. While talking to The Times, the couple shared that the frequent wildfires and other natural disasters in the area are a major factor in why they wish to sell. They added, “We’ve been spared by the fires a few times now. But I think it’s time to move. Everything changes; everything falls apart. We live by this body of earth’s water on a fault in a ring of earthquakes. That creates a fear.”Since their sons, Paris, 25, and Dylan, 29, have moved out, the couple has also embraced a simpler life and spends most of their days in Keely’s native Hawaii. He explained that they have a cottage in Kauai where they reside now, adding that it is a “little three-bedroom cottage at the end of the road. We have our own chickens, and I have a yurt where I paint.”Brosnan also commented on how many things in their life in Malibu have changed. He shared, “There have been doldrums. I have this beautiful house in Malibu. I have to pay the mortgage. There are school fees,” he explained to The Times. “There are definite moments of, oh, this boat is not quite sinking, but [it might] if we don’t get a job soon. I think the two of us are somewhat reclusive. It’s a long way into town. We have a small circle of friends here, but people get divorced, they die, and they move on. And we’re still here.”In 2020, when they first put the house on the market, Brosnan had also commented, “It’s time to move on… It’s time to change.” The two are ready to sell the house.
