- Elizabeth and Ian Rivers’ Fendalton home was destroyed in the 2011 earthquake, leading to its demolition.
- They spent five years in rented accommodation before commissioning a new home by architect Andrew Patterson.
- The new four-bedroom home, dubbed “The White House”, is now for sale, showcasing art and design.
At 12.51pm on February 22, 2011, Elizabeth Rivers was driving through the Lyttelton tunnel as tiles shook loose around her. Across the city, her husband Ian was watching their century‑old Fendalton home collapse.
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“The chimneys just blew out. There were bricks everywhere, and the foundations went in one corner,” Ian told OneRoof. “It was literally rock and roll, and it was quite frightening. I knew it was a big earthquake. It was all pretty dramatic.
“In the tunnel, tiles were falling. It took [Elizabeth] two and a half hours to get home to the city. I drove over to Lyttelton, where we have a son and grandchildren. There were still rocks falling. It was quite dangerous, but everyone was fine.”
When the Rivers returned to their home that night, they knew it was a write‑off. So badly damaged was it that they had to leave immediately. Even structural engineers refused to go upstairs.
The modern-looking home was designed by Andrew Patterson and has an RV of $3.78m. Photo / Supplied
The striking spiral staircase was made at the request of the owners. Photo / Supplied
Like many other properties across Christchurch following the 2011 earthquake, the Rivers’ house at 101 Fendalton Road, in Fendalton, was red‑stickered and then demolished. For Ian and Elizabeth, that meant five long years in rented accommodation.
The family’s connection with 101 Fendalton Road started in 1978 when Ian, an airline manager, and Elizabeth, a nurse, moved in with their three children. “It was a fine‑looking gabled house, and it served us well,” Ian told OneRoof.
Had the earthquake not destroyed the house, Ian might still have been living in it today. It had been designed by an architect for his lawyer brother 100 years earlier and housed three families over its 100-year life.
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Now standing in its place is a new home designed by one of New Zealand’s top architects, Andrew Patterson.
“They came to us,” Ian said. “They sent someone down from Auckland who went round all the old houses. They wrote a letter saying, ‘Look, you know, we’re available’. As it is, we’re the only residential house that they’ve designed in Christchurch.
“We just left the design to them, and they decided we should have gables like the old house. We just said we wanted a spiral staircase, which they put in, and that was it. They designed a magnificent house. I’ve lived here 10 years, and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Elizabeth has since passed away. The couple were great art lovers, Ian said, telling OneRoof that his wife studied for a fine arts degree as an adult student. It’s a passion taken up by the entire family, with daughter Kate studying art, which she teaches at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, as well as being a printmaker.
The house is described by the listing agent as one of the suburb’s best. Photo / Supplied
The gables were a nod to the owner’s previous home, which was destroyed in the 2011 quakes. Photo / Supplied
Their brand‑new home became a blank canvas for the couple’s art collection, which included works by top New Zealand artists, including Ralph Hotere, Colin McCahon, and Philippa Blair, as well as the family’s own artworks.
Dubbed “The Gabled White House”, the four-bedroom home is being marketed for sale by New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty agent Emma Luxton.
In the listing, she said it was “one of the best houses in Christchurch”.
“After a 48‑year tenure of this site and a nearly 10-year-old post‑quake build, this home is now for sale. Set back from the street and approached via a striking cypress‑lined avenue, this home offers unmatched privacy, elegance, and design pedigree.
“Created by Andrew Patterson Architects, it stands as a rare fusion of contemporary living, sculptural form, and timeless sophistication. This is more than a home – it is a statement of design, lifestyle, and location.”
- 101 Fendalton Road, in Fendalton, Christchurch, goes to auction on March 11
