Love Camping? Hate Bugs?
Love rotating around an open fire? Falling asleep and rising with the rhythms of the sun? Getting in touch with nature? But terrified of nature (bugs, spiders, snakes) getting 'in touch' with you?
Fret not. Casey Brown Architecture have come up with the perfect compromise: A simple structure. Surrounded by wilderness. With just enough glass to keep the creepy crawlies out. And if that fails, copper-lined 'hatches' you can 'batten-down' at a moment's notice. Take that, nature!
It's called Permanent Camping...
**A Part of Nature:**Permanent Camping provides a simple getaway in the remote Australian countryside. It offers all the necessities for living, while still feeling connected to its surrounds. There's even a spot to tie up your horse.
Permanent Camping
Permanent Camping is just that -- a permanent structure that brings you in touch with nature in a way only camping can. And because it's permanent, you can forget wrestling with poles and pegs.
The elegantly simple holiday home sits proudly in the middle of a remote sheep station just 3 and a half hours from Sydney. From its mountain-top location, surrounded by ancient granite boulders, remnants of trees long since passed and the odd grazing sheep, the site is striking in its natural beauty.
Open up to Nature: Operable shutters can be closed for protection from the elements (read: venomous snakes and bushfires), or opened to take in the view and let the sun shine in. Basic furnishings and a slow combustion stove provide for the necessities without sacrificing the charms of camping.
A Real Bed: Arguably the real draw of Permanent Camping is an actual bed. Not one that you need to re-inflate with a hand pump five times per night... A peep-hole on the bedroom level creates a darker sleeping space without disconnecting you from nature, completely.
Bare Necessities: A simple kitchen with shelving and a sink provide all the essentials for back-to-basics meal preparation. Don't worry, it's colour coordinated, they're not animals.
Humble at Heart: With a simple design and modest construction, Permanent Camping cleverly treads the line between actual camping and a full-blown holiday shack.
Packs a Lot Into a Tiny Space...
The footprint of the two storey tower is just 3 x 3 metres. That's just 18m2, total. It's smaller than Carrie Bradshaw's closet, yet it contains all the necessities for shelter and living, including:
- Kitchen
- Running Water
- Slow-Combustion Stove
- Real Bed
- Couch/Day Bed
- There's even a separate toilet just a short stroll away...
The Ideals of Camping
Part of the attraction of camping is the opportunity for self-sufficiency. You never now when you might need to tap into your homesteading skills to fashion a fire-resistant tea-pot stand. Or set up a make-shift shower.
Permanent Camping is completely off-the-grid. So while some of the modern comforts are provided, there's the lingering possibility that the rain water tank might run dry. Or the generator might stall. Otherwise known as the perfect opportunity for you to put your wits to the test and craft a MacGyver-esque solution.
Open Sesame
Three sides of the building open up by hand winch to create a verandah on the east, west and north sides -- instantly filling the space with sunlight and spectacular panoramic views of the property. Closing the home down when unoccupied is a way to protect it from the elements -- especially bushfire.
Louvre windows and bi-fold doors let the owner control how open or closed the space is to the elements.
The Spirit of Permanent Camping
Permanent Camping captures the unique sense of connection to nature of camping, without the hassle of setting up camp. This rural retreat is the realization of a dream for the owner, who wanted a more permanent way to enjoy this stunning natural setting.
For those of us who would happily take a TV and computer on a camping trip, this modest home might seem spartan (there's no internet, here). At the same time, there's something primal about stripping away all the add-ons and enjoying what the basics have to offer. Embracing the simplicity of actual living is something we should all do often. If what it takes is well-considered, simple structures, set in the wilderness, instead of tent poles and sleeping bags, then so be it.
Desperate for a tiny cabin in a secluded location to escape to? You better take a look at this off-grid house or, if you love the sand between your toes, check out this tiny beach house on sleds (for easy manourerability).