Dutchman Builds Massive Ark to Save the Netherlands From Drowning
Posted By Rebecca Paul On June 24, 2011 @ 7:44 pm In Art,carousel showcase,Disaster-proof design,Floating Houses | No Comments
Inspired by a dream (or in this case nightmare) about a massive flood that wiped out Holland, ambitious native Dutchman Johan Huibers [4] has constructed a full-sized, water-ready ark just like Noah’s. “I dreamed a part of Holland was flooded,” Huibers, 60, explained to Janet Shamlian during an interview with the TODAY [5] show. “Then, the next day I get the idea to build an ark of Noah.” The boat has already taken on the canals of The Netherlands, where it received well-earned attention from tourist who were charged $7 a piece to get on deck. With Holland under his belt, Huibers plans to send his bible-boat a-float along the Thames [6] in London just ahead of the 2012 Olympics [7].
Huibers began building his vessel about three years ago, replicating Noah’s Ark as closely as possible. The 1.6 million dollar boat is made from Swedish Pine, stands four stories tall and is as long as a football field. It’s even complete with animals two-by-two – the interior features life-sized models of giraffes, zebras, cows, donkeys and more. Quoted by the Examiner [8], “Huiber’s wife Shamlian said it cost $11,000 for just one elephant.”
While we can recognize that “Johan’s Ark” may not be saving us from the next apocalypse [our bets are hedged on John Cusack [9] -ed] and one could argue the building of this boat might be an unnecessary waste of resources, it’s certainly a mighty undertaking – and he pulled it off in epic proportions.
+ Johan Huibers [4]
Via Dvice [10]
Photos @ David Joyce [11]
Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com
URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/dutchman-builds-massive-ark-to-save-the-netherlands-from-drowning/
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[3] Email: mailto:?subject=http://inhabitat.com/dutchman-builds-massive-ark-to-save-the-netherlands-from-drowning/
[4] Johan Huibers: http://www.arkvannoach.com/cms/
[5] TODAY: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43492787/ns/today-today_people/t/meet-man-whos-re-creating-noahs-ark/
[6] Thames: http://inhabitat.com/artist-floats-a-paper-boat-down-the-thames-in-london/
[7] 2012 Olympics: http://inhabitat.com/london-unveils-groundbreaking-recyclable-basketball-stadium-for-2012-olympic-games/
[8] Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/people-the-news-in-national/dutch-man-builds-1-6-million-noah-s-ark-biblical-proportions-watch-video
[9] John Cusack: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190080/
[10] Dvice: http://dvice.com/archives/2011/06/after-doomsday.php
[11] David Joyce: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobba_dwj/
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