Enter the doors of Spring Valley Baptist Church in Columbia, SC and step back in time to when God had flooded the earth and commanded Noah to build an Ark consisting of rooms for all the animals.  Spring Valley’s vision was to create a space depicting Noah’s Ark resting on the Mountains of Ararat as the flood waters disappeared.  Wonder Work Studios designed a massive Ark which spans the room overhead while resting on the rocks of the mountain.

The broken hull exposes the interior of the ark and leads the visitor into the entrance of a 100 foot hallway which displays the chambers within the ark.  Gorgeous Murals surrounding the ark display the animals beginning to step back onto land, under a rainbow in the clouds, illustrating God’s promise to the earth.  Wonder Work Studios incorporated the use of both 3-D and mural imagery to include as much of this Biblical wonder as possible.  Under the skylights of the room, a giant tree with a lush canopy emphasizes that the waters have receded and God has honored his promise to Noah.  Details such as the water dripping from the ark add to the realism of the room while additional features, such as a new check in station made of rock, add to the functionality for the church.  The room also includes a water fountain representing the altar Noah built for the Lord and custom railing to guide the visitor, along with a stone bench near the entrance of the Secondary Sanctuary for resting and reflecting on God’s wonder.

Stepping under the ark you enter the hallway showing the multilevel compartments where the variety of each animal on earth was housed.  Noah’s Ark is one of the most beloved stories of the Bible, especially for children.  Spring Valley wanted to show the ark as a happy place and emphasize the glory of the animal kingdom. The murals allow one to experience firsthand what it might have looked like, how food was stored and how the animals lived during the flood.  With a wide variety of animals and habitats, every stall is interesting and unique with great attention paid to every detail.  The hallway even includes an 8 foot Reed Boat (one of the oldest types of boats known to man) helping to transport the visitor to that time in history while giving them a space to sit and reflect. Custom railing matching the railing in the ark room is another beautiful feature. The rich detail of this project was truly a labor of love and indicative of our commitment to making our projects as realistic and true to the client’s vision as possible.

Upstairs in the “Rally room” the concept was to give the illusion of standing on the mountain witnessing the ark from afar.  The room features a large, realistic tree with an overhanging canopy adjacent to the custom check in desk.  Submersed in the lush greenery, one can conceive the post flood landscape and wonder at the beauty of God’s word and how Noah and his family might have felt as the dove returned bringing to Noah the fresh olive leaf.  Imagine the joy as God’s rallying cry was heard to come out of the ark and bring the animals to be fruitful and multiply in order to repopulate the earth.  What a beautiful reward for following God’s commandments!  This project is very difficult to depict in photos and is best viewed in person.  If you find yourself in Columbia, SC perhaps you might want to stop in to Spring Valley Baptist Church and experience it firsthand!