The celebrity 'preppers' and their Doomsday digs: From 'blast doors' to water tanks, how the likes of Kylie Jenner and Mark Zuckerberg are kitting out their billionaire bunkers

It typically conjures images of stockpiling tins of baked beans and bottles of water, but prepping for Armageddon looks very different for the rich and famous. Instead of building survival sheds or creating an emergency fund, the other half will likely invest in sprawling, reinforced underground bolt-holes fitted with every luxury conceivable for the end of days. Mark Zuckerberg has long been rumoured to be building a 'Doomsday bunker' under his $270million Hawaii mansion. Kylie Jenner's new fortress-like mansion in one of Los Angeles' most upmarket enclaves also features an underground bunker, while her sister Kim Kardashian went 'shopping' for survival rooms in a 2021 episode of the family's reality show. Other celebrities rumoured to have built bunkers - or exploring the possibility of them - include Shaquille O'Neal, Tom Cruise and Bill Gates.It comes as London-based architecture firm Janine Stone & Co noted demand has 'reached unprecedented levels, with inquiries about these fortified structures increasing twelvefold in recent years'.The interiors company noted the 'design possibilities' for these posh bunkers are 'virtually limitless', highlighting luxuries like gourmet kitchens, wine cellars and even wellness spas. A proposed interior of a Rising S luxury survival bunker. The company has numerous model tiers (image for representation purposes only) Another firm, Vivos released pictures of swimming pools and other amenities in its underground bunker (image for representation purposes only) In 2023, it was reported that Facebook founder Mark was developing a 5,000-sq. ft. bunker underneath his 1,400-acre compound on the island of Kauai, one of the most northern islands in the Northern Pacific archipelago.The sprawling compound, which the Zuckerbergs call 'Koolau Ranch', includes more than a dozen buildings - including several guest houses - which have a total of more than 30 bedrooms and bathrooms.At the centre are two mansions with a total floor area of 55,000 sq ft, similar to an American football pitch. The two houses boast lifts, offices, conference rooms and 'industrial-sized' kitchens.Another building will feature a full-size gym, pools, sauna, hot tub, 'cold plunge' pool and tennis court. But above ground is only the start. According to plans lodged with the Hawaiian planning authorities, an underground tunnel will run between the two mansions and branch off into a 5,000 sq ft underground bunker.This includes living and sleeping space, a mechanical equipment room and an 'escape hatch' that can be accessed via a ladder.The shelter's main door will be built from metal and filled in with concrete — a common anti-blast design that is used in military-grade bunkers and bomb shelters.The level of security around the compound is set to be unparalleled, including an extensive network of centrally controlled surveillance cameras and many interior doors operated by keypad.Some, such as those in the planned library, will be 'blind doors', built to look like the surrounding walls. Zuckerberg has a fascination for such optical trickery, having previously installed an entrance to his home in California's Silicon Valley that was disguised as a hedge. According to Wired, Koolau Ranch will be entirely self-sufficient, with its own 18ft-high, 55ft-wide water tank and enormously powerful 'pump system'. The ranch is already producing much of its own food through agriculture and livestock. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (pictured, left) broken his silence on the 'Doomsday bunker' that many claim he is building in 2024 Kylie Jenner's new fortress-like mansion in one of Los Angeles' most upmarket enclaves reportedly features an underground bunkerAsked to comment on the 'Doomsday bunker' by Bloomberg's Emily Chang in 2024, Zuckerberg said it was 'just like a little shelter'. 'It's like a basement,' the billionaire said. 'We have the basic house that we built, and we built an office out there because I work out there. There's a bunch of storage space, whatever you want to call it, a hurricane shelter or whatever.'I think it got blown out of proportion as if the whole ranch was some kind of Doomsday bunker, which is just not true.' In 2021, Kim, then 40, shopped for survival bunkers on an episode of her family's reality TV show, now called The Kardashians. The Skims founder and reality TV star said she felt incredibly anxious after her friend Jonathan Cheban called to tell her he'd been stripped of a $250,000 watch at gunpoint.As the Foodgod cried on the phone, Kim began to revisit the trauma of her own 2016 robbery in Paris, which saw her bound, gagged and held up as $10 million worth of jewellery was stolen from her.To deal with her anxiety, she started investigating survival equipment and recruited sister Khloé Kardashian, then 36, to stay with her for a test run in a cylindrical bunker.Kim wanted to see if it was feasible for her whole family to live that way if everything really got worse, as it felt like it might during the Covid pandemic. The CEO of Atlas Survival Systems, Ron Hubbard, told Kim that if needed, he could make the Kardashians one with 'six or seven' bedrooms, and Kim was intrigued.These would be made to withstand all manmade and natural disasters, keeping its occupants alive for years as long as they had food, water and supplies, he added.But they abandoned their plan after visiting a basic bunker, with low ceilings, little space, dried food, spartan grey beds, and no TV, though there was a computer.Khloe convinced Kim she did not want to 'live the end of your days' in a bunker with '110-degree heat, shvitzing, making sure your kids aren't going crazy eating one another, sitting in a room with urine and s***' before they headed home. However, it is safe to assume Kylie Jenner's bunker in her new multi-million mansion will be nothing like the austere model her sisters tested out. The beauty mogul has been building her 'dream house' in an upmarket Los Angeles enclave for six years after buying the land in Hidden Hills for $15million. The 30,000 sq ft ultimate modern farmhouse was designed by top Canadian architect Richard Landry on a four-acre lot, the biggest in Hidden Hills.The billionaire beauty mogul has invested a hefty sum to protect her privacy, including spending $5,000 on olive trees to block views of her luxury home. When it is finished, the five-acre plot will have a separate building for Kylie's security team and an underground bunker for emergencies. The mother-of-two will live at the home with daughter Stormi, seven, and son Aire, three, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Travis Scott, 34.Mr Hubbard previously told The Times that demand for luxury bunkers was 'soaring' in 2017, adding his firm had built shelters selling at £150,000 for 'A-listers from the UK' in Hollywood. Kim Kardashian tested out a survival bunker built by US firm Atlas in a 2021 episode of her family's reality show Last January, it was reported that US-based company SAFE is building a luxurious members-only 'doomsday' bunker featuring swimming pools, AI-driven healthcare and glamorous suites for 625 of the world's wealthiest people. SAFE's $300million (£242million) luxury fortress in Virginia, just outside Washington in the US, has been named Aerie. It will offer clients the chance to survive should there be a disaster above ground - though they will need to shell out $20million (£16 million) each to secure it. Clients willing to fork out the hefty price tag will not only have access to the fortress should the world come to an end but will be able to set foot into the pods whenever they feel their 'safety threatened'.Beyond just memory-foam mattresses and marble floors, Aerie will provide guests with an unmatched set of facilities, including 'AI powered' medical care, countless 'wellness programs' and a perfect blend of 'protection and luxury'.The hideout is also set to come with luxury gourmet dining facilities, an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge centres, IV therapy rooms, a bowling alley and climbing wall.In June, 'architect of the apocalypse' Philp Pauley said he is building underground worlds' before the next disaster strikes, which could support life for years underground.Mr Pauley says that his clients include 'governments, military, and high-net-worth individuals' who all want to find a way to outwit the end of the world.These 'closed-loop' systems can be 'aircraft-hangar-sized' and fitted with private rooms, communal areas, and leisure facilities.But don't expect the top one per cent to wait out the end of days in drab surroundings, as Mr Pauley describes the fittings as 'opulent and homely'.With a 'money as no barrier' budget, these custom bunkers often reach levels of luxury best compared to a 'private jet'.However, surviving in style isn't cheap, with clients reportedly paying 'hundreds of millions' for construction before fitting out their new pad 'under a shroud of secrecy'.While their new owners are staying quiet about these developments, Mr Pauley claims you might be surprised to learn just how much building is going on underground.'There's a lot of activity going on,' he told the Daily Mail, ‘It’s moving it forward at pace for a select group. There are loads of people doing doomsday bunkers for a range of different people.'While some celebrities are equipping their luxe mansions with fully-equipped 'Doomsday bunkers', others like Hannah Spearritt are embracing the off-grid life. Last year, Hannah decided to quit the UK and relocate to Costa Rica, where she has been living as 'a prepper and survivalist'. The former S Club 7 star, 44, moved to Central America to 'live off the land' with her long-term partner Adam Thomas and their two daughters, Téa, seven, and Tora, five, in January 2025 after a 'difficult year'. 'Well, we finally made it to paradise,' she told her Instagram followers, alongside a photo of her daughters at the dinner table in their new home.The pop star was said to be seeking a fresh start after quitting the band that made her famous in the wake of ex Paul Cattermole's tragic death in 2023.Since moving out of south-west London, Hannah has updated her Instagram bio to read 'prepper, survivalist and creator now living the uninhibited jungle life'.She has been documenting her family's off-grid life - chasing waterfalls and learning how to farm - on social media. READ MORE: The giant bunkers being built for the super-rich 100 metres beneath Swiss mountain where elite clients are guarded round the clock