London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 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
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×