London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

This Luxe Off-Grid Retreat Will Put You Right at Home on the Farm

This Luxe Off-Grid Retreat Will Put You Right at Home on the Farm

With all its creature comforts hidden beneath a steel shed roof, Gawthorne’s Hut, a vacation rental in Australia’s Mudgee Valley, beckons visitors without breaking up the landscape.

Set amid the rolling hills and lavender fields of a working cattle ranch in Mudgee, Australia, is Gawthorne’s Hut, a shed-roofed cabin by local architect Cameron Anderson. Named after the original owner of the farm, the structure weaves together past and present, combining salvaged brick from the property’s historic cottage with a modern solar array and rainwater harvesting system for a completely off-grid weekend getaway.



"The original brief called for a sustainable tourism experience for two people," explains Anderson. "We also wanted to respond architecturally to the unique qualities of the historical working farm, without creating a burden on aging infrastructure in the larger rural community." The solution is a roughly 430-square-foot, solar-powered single-room cabin that references the local vernacular of hay sheds and cottages in both form and materiality.



The steeply angled roof is clad in galvanized steel, nodding to traditional farm structures while also providing ample surface area for the 6.6-kW photovoltaic array powering the building. "The array meant the need to maximize the northern roof area," explains Anderson. "At the same time, I love the nurturing feeling of the angled roof form internally. It creates scale when required, and a sense of intimacy at the lower part."



Inside, the angled roof form is emphasized via a blackbutt-lined ceiling which also frames valley views to the east. Recycled brick from the farm’s crumbling historic cottage forms the cabin’s single interior wall, injecting a moment of texture and context while also housing internal building services and delineating the washroom. "The wall’s stack bond emphasizes the fact that the bricks are no longer load bearing," states Anderson.



Anderson hopes the self-sufficient and off-grid cabin will provide a path forward for rural areas. "With regional communities growing in population, also growing is the demand on existing power, water, and other services," says Anderson. "Projects like this have a positive role to play in demonstrating how all buildings can function off the grid."



Beyond environmental sustainability, the design, argues Anderson, provides a new solution for financial stability in 21st-century farm communities. "Buildings like this have a role to play in diversifying traditional farm income," he says. "The micro floor plan utilizes a minimal amount of farm land, while providing a significant amount of annual income that can help offset things like drought or other adverse farming conditions."



Floor Plan of Gawthorne’s Hut

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×