Kanye West Offers Up a Fresh Look at the Progress on His Yeezy Shelter Dome Homes

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Kanye West’s dome homes may be been destroyed last year, but that doesn’t appear to have deterred the star.

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, the rapper turned designer offered a peek at his Yeezy Shelters, which are currently in progress. The structures are meant to provide affordable, egalitarian housing, potentially with an eye toward housing the homeless. Similar to the homes West has created in the past, the structures have a dome-like appearance.

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In 2019, similar images surfaced of 50-foot high, prefabricated wooden dome structures constructed by West on his 300-acre property in Calabasas, Calif. The homes were reminiscent of the famed geodesic domes that architect R. Buckminster Fuller introduced in the mid-20th century. Since then, various dome designs meant to combat housing shortages, notably for the poor, have been introduced.

Last year, West’s prototypes appeared to be much further along than the structures shown on social media this weekend. But the earlier domes were reported in September to have been demolished, purportedly because West failed to secure the necessary permits.

Although the entertainer may be best known for his ventures in music and fashion, the Yeezy architectural design arm has actually been around since 2018.

“We’re starting a Yeezy architecture arm called Yeezy home. We’re looking for architects and industrial designers who want to make the world better,” West announced on Twitter in May 2018.

The “Jesus Walks” hit maker provided an update on his Yeezy shelters one day after announcing his intention to run for president in 2020. There are only four months to go until election day in November, and it’s unclear whether West has filed the necessary paperwork — but the deadline to add independent candidates to the ballot has not yet passed in many states.

Overall, West has dominated headlines of late, having announced a deal with Gap last month as well as put out a new song with Travis Scott, called “Wash Us in the Blood.”

In April, Forbes estimated West’s net worth is about $1.3 billion. That figure includes $1.26 billion from the A-lister’s Yeezy empire, as he owns 100% of the Yeezy brand. The designer’s net worth additionally includes $102 million in real estate holdings, as well as roughly $90 million from his musical label and his recording and publishing rights. Further, Forbes estimates the Adidas Yeezy line made $1.3 billion in revenue for 2019, with West himself receiving about $140 million.

 

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