U2’s The Edge is planning a mansion complex that’s a metonymy for post-Joshua Tree U2: It means well, really, but it’s just way, way over the top.
The five homes (!) averaging 10,500 square feet (!!) are supposed to be built to LEED Gold standards, so bravo to The Edge for that. But if you really want to be green, maybe a network of oversized houses full of buffalo and belly dancers and groupies and giant lemons and shit is NOT the way to go. And especially not when you’re building it in a pristine, environmentally sensitive area like The Edge’s Malibu plot.
On the up side, this flawed plan has drawn attention to the fact that LEED certification moves in mysterious ways when it comes to location. Of the 136 points a proposed building can get, only 10 have to do with responsible siting. Way to go, Edge — raising awareness, just like Bono!
