Culture See Inside Pharrell Williams's $17M Mansion - that Fans Are Joking Looks Like a 'Community College'

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Pharrell Williams is letting go of his massive Los Angeles mansion.

The 46-year-old “Happy” singer recently put his 10-bedroom, 11-bathroom Beverly Hills, Calif., home on the market for $16.95 million. At more than 17,000 square feet, the residence boasts custom architecture that uniquely houses modern interiors fit for entertaining.

According to the estate’s listing — which is represented by agents Kurt Rappaport and Drew Meyers of Westside Estate Agency — the property offers “resort-style living” with a tennis court and grotto, but some fans on social media felt it brought another type of building to mind.

“This man live in a community college,” one twitter user joked on Tuesday, prompting a lively debate about what others thought the home resembles.

“I think that’s the polling place I’m voting at,” wrote another on Super Tuesday.

Anthony Barcelo/Westside Estate Agency

Anthony Barcelo/Westside Estate Agency

“I had a dream that I met Pharrell in an elevator and told him his house looked like a community college,” one user shared. While Durham College posted a photo of a building on their campus, complete with a remarkably similar ring-shaped sculpture and the caption, “We see no difference.”

And the four acres of property could certainly host quite a crowd — behind the gates, a 200-foot driveway leads to a motor court with space for 30 vehicles.

Anthony Barcelo/Westside Estate Agency

According to the Los Angeles Times, Williams bought the home from director Tyler Perry in 2018 for $15.6 million. The property was originally built in 1992.

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Anthony Barcelo/Westside Estate Agency

Anthony Barcelo/Westside Estate Agency

Anthony Barcelo/Westside Estate Agency

Williams has made some very real collegiate dreams come true in the past.

While giving the commencement speech for the 2019 class of Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy in June, the artist had a surprise for the graduating class. Williams announced to the 114 graduates that he had guaranteed internship opportunities for every student after their first year of college.

“The world is watching Harlem, but this renaissance will be different,” Williams said during his speech. “Believe it or not … it’s going to actually be better. The reason why is because the new Harlem Renaissance has education at its core.”

When one student heard Williams’ announcement, she could not believe it at first but felt a sense of relief going into her freshman year of college.

“I was surprised and shocked and relieved,” Brionna Pope told CNN at the time. “A lot of us who were financially struggling … to at least know we had a head start in life because next summer we would be able to get internships and make connections.”

 

[Dolphin Lundgren]

6/10. Too many windows and lookey-loos will be able to see everything you're doing.

 

[Male Idiot]

Looks all snazzy and stuff but yeah, it is a sniper/voyeur's wet dream come true.

 

[Doug_S1]

“This man live in a community college,” one twitter user joked on Tuesday, prompting a lively debate about what others thought the home resembles.

Looks like a giant coop for fertilizing college chicks.

 

[Dolphin Lundgren]

Looks all snazzy and stuff but yeah, it is a sniper/voyeur's wet dream come true.

It's also a paparazzi's wet dream. Especially in LA.

 

[pwnest injun]

I just sort of assumed that he lived in a big, stupid hat.

 

[Xarpho]

Even with modern insulated windows, the heating and cooling issues on the house are almost certainly enormous and still not fully heat or cool properly (just inherent to the building, like how Fallingwater has chronic mold and leak problems).

 

[WinchesterPremium]

He better not throw any stones inside that glass house.

 

[Dick Pooman]

I drive by a community college that looks just like that all the time

 

[KiwiJoe]

Pretty good for a One Hit Wonder song!

 

[Scarlett Johansson]

This nigga and Alan Thicke's son stole from Marvin Gaye, went to court, lost, and now they aren't poor?....

 

[Mariposa Electrique]

This nigga and Alan Thicke's son stole from Marvin Gaye, went to court, lost, and now they aren't poor?....

Don't worry, in a few years, all his money will be gone on crack, fancy clothing, and child support. the blacks love crack.

 

[TokiBun]

I hate how many windows there are. Normal people like living in darkness with LED lights. If his mansion was like that it would be kino.

 

[Underestimated Nutria]

Ugly! Isn't it crazy that we can't even approach the beauty of neo/classical architecture?

Those windows, too, uggh. Our family once ended up selling a holiday house because we somehow overlooked the drawbacks of a four story front window.

 

[Jewish Porn Hoe]

This is exactly the kind of architecture that says "I'm a rich wanker with too much money and no sense of aesthetics". There are several brands of (ridiculously expensive) prefab around emulating this exact look.

 

[Just Some Other Guy]

Even with modern insulated windows, the heating and cooling issues on the house are almost certainly enormous and still not fully heat or cool properly (just inherent to the building, like how Fallingwater has chronic mold and leak problems).

Celebrities don't have to worry about energy efficiency, though I'm sure they'll preach to us about saving the environment.

 

[Slimy Time]

Maybe it's my non Hollywood, non billionaire self, but does it need to be that big of a house? When are you ever going to use half of what's inside the house? If I were a multi millionaire/billionaire, I'd get a big house/apartment according to need and have it gated/security, but I wouldn't want to have a mansion. It's not needed. I'd want it to feel like home, not some large rent a home/mansion.

 

[Kheapathic]

Too many windows. As much as I can appreciate natural lighting in a home; sniper's dream, heating/cooling bills, and general cleaning. It's not something you (or your maintenance staff) can just get a bucket and have done in a bit; and with how dusty and shit SoCal gets, no thanks. Maybe have a sun room, where it's one room, not that much.

Would totally get coed drunk and do things they may regret in the morning though. 10/10 would collegiate again.

 

[KiwiJoe]

Maybe it's my non Hollywood, non billionaire self, but does it need to be that big of a house? When are you ever going to use half of what's inside the house? If I were a multi millionaire/billionaire, I'd get a big house/apartment according to need and have it gated/security, but I wouldn't want to have a mansion. It's not needed. I'd want it to feel like home, not some large rent a home/mansion.

When you're famous and have tons of 'fuck you money', it's just a sign of accomplishment. Simple as that.

When you're in the celebrity life (although I dunno what's Pharell been doing these days given that his last popular song most people remember him for is from 2013) you go all out because you can.

 

[Pee Cola]

Pretty good for a One Hit Wonder song!

Yes but actually no.

Pharrell has written a shitload of songs for other recording artists over the years, as well as production when he was one half of The Neptunes. That's where he would have made most of his money.

IMO, his best work was with N.E.R.D. That was basically The Neptunes, only given free reign to do whatever they hell they wanted rather than being restricted by what a particular artist (or, more accurately, a particular artist's record label A&R person) demanded from their songwriting.

I just sort of assumed that he lived in a big, stupid hat.

You're thinking of Jay Kay from Jamiroquai.