The new owner can live on a hill, look out over the ocean and get the impression the building is floating.
The new owner can live on a hill, look out over the ocean and get the impression the building is floating.
By Orana Durney-Benson
February 21, 2025 — 2.20pm
A one-of-a-kind wooden “ark” in New Zealand is ready for a Noah 2.0 to take over as captain.
Perched on the side of a hill in Sumner, Christchurch, the ark-shaped house is an extraordinary sight.
For 20 years, it has been an iconic local landmark and a beloved wedding venue for locals and visitors.
The “ark” was built in 2004 by Ken and Bev Loader, a Christian couple who bought the site in 1957.
After decades as market gardeners, the Loaders decided to create a biblical-themed park with a life-size Noah’s Ark as the centrepiece.
“The beauty of this building is that it’s an opportunity for a visionary, and a chance for the next owner to realise a dream,” agent Rod Cross from New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty told Star News.
“It certainly has ample space and versatility for many options to be considered.”
Like the Noah’s Ark out of a child’s picture book, the Christchurch building is clad in timber with a quaint pitched roof.
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A row of square windows in the hull of the “ship” give the building a distinctive, nautical look.
A long drawbridge leads to the main function space: a sprawling open-plan room with vaulted ceilings and exposed log walls.
Below deck is an industrial-scale kitchen with stainless steel appliances, and a concert space with a stage and grand piano.
The real estate agency has virtually staged some photos with couches and bookshelves to give prospective buyers a sense of what the building might look like if converted into a home.
Throughout the property, large picture windows look out over Pegasus Bay and the Pacific Ocean, giving the impression that the building is floating on water.
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“We’re sailing into new territory with this exceptional property, and expect worldwide interest,” Cross said.
The replica Noah’s Ark will go to auction on 28 March 2025. No price guide for the property has been given.
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