Ohoka's Flying Saucer
Nick has brought four futuro houses in his time (and since sold two on), including the BNZ ‘Futuro Branch’ located at the 1974 Commonwealth games – which he has exciting future plans for.
Image: BNZ Heritage
When the cabin you want is hidden away on the West Coast with no road access – well, that sounds like one for the ‘too hard’ basket. Not so for entrepreneur Nick McQuoid – who came up with a plan and had a Futuro home helicoptered out in pieces before transporting it to Ohoka.
Words: Pattie Pegler Images: essence and supplied
That was back in 2018. Then it was just a basic flying saucer shaped shell with no windows and no internal floors.
Futuro homes originate from Finland, where architect Matti Suuronen designed the first one in 1968. A family friend had asked him to design a ski-cabin and he came up with this flying saucer - small, cosy and domed so that heavy snow wouldn’t accumulate on it. Only 100 Futuro homes were made and only about 60 have survived and they seem to pop up in strange and unexpected parts of the world. They have developed a real following due to their collectability and their unique style aesthetic.
“I have always wanted to restore one,” explains Nick. “I honestly have a genuine passion for these things, I love the colours, the design, the style.”
Today that shell has been restored to its full 1970s glory - walls are painted in a vibrant purple Resene Daisy Bush, carpets are red, curtains are purple, cushions are vibrant oranges and yellows.
And there’s some sleek design going on – the seating area runs around the circular wall, a distinctive moulded plastic yellow Zocker chair is one of the genuine 1970s pieces, the double bed tucked in the corner slides away to reveal more room space. It is an utterly unique space – with a 1970s futurist vibe that puts you in mind of old sci-fi movies or that vintage cartoon The Jetsons. It’s really fun.
But restoring it was a big job. “I didn’t understand the magnitude of it,” says Nick. Luckily a team of friends, families and tradies Culmer Construction and RJP Electrical supported him through it. A friend, Jason Berger, helped with the joinery, particularly the tricky curved wall inside the Futuro which is made of layers of MDF. Nick’s mother turned her hand to sewing and made the curtains and cushion covers. His uncle helped with landscaping. And Nick himself put in work wherever it was needed.
It might have been hard work but it was also not cheap and in order to finance the restoration Nick turned his hand to all kinds of jobs to earn extra funds. He charged Lime Scooters, drove for Uber, cleaned jail cells and offices and ran an Airbnb from his own apartment in Christchurch.
“I am quite driven. I always saw my mum and dad working really hard,” he says.
Nick grew up in Ohoka and the family home, unfortunately destroyed in an electrical fault fire, stood where the flying saucer now is.
It was a terrible time he says but now it feels like “a rebirth here, making something good out of something bad.”
Today the flying saucer looks right at home on this rural section. A patio area with concrete pavers leads up to the steps and there’s a spa, a sauna and a swimming pool in the outdoor area. Colourful chairs and tables make it perfect for an evening glass of wine al fresco and the outdoor lighting display is truly atmospheric with its changing colour.
This is the perfect spot for a getaway so it’s not surprising that the Futuro home is now a successful Airbnb space. The guest book is bursting with enthusiastic comments and kids and grown-ups alike are enchanted with this dazzling space.
Nick spends a lot of time promoting it on social media and working on the space.
“If I get a booking at 3 in the afternoon, I get in my car and drive out to the property,” he says.
And future plans include a games room and some extra accommodation in a vintage caravan.
You can check out Nick and his Area 51 futuro house resort on Facebook. And you can book in for a night in this quirky accommodation on Airbnb.