202540-SARAHS GLAMPING

FUNCTION Function is the foundation of the design process, focusing on how spaces are organised, connected and experienced in everyday use. Careful consideration is given to circulation, the relationship between rooms and the way the building responds to the activities and needs of its occupants. Through the exploration and refinement of spatial arrangements, the design seeks to maximise efficiency, usability and flexibility while minimising unnecessary space. This stage provides an opportunity to test ideas, review alternatives and ensure that the layout supports both the practical requirements and long-term aspirations of the project.

A site-first feasibility exercise mapping the proposed 40sqm cabin onto the existing landscape. The slider compares current site conditions with the floor plan, using key client-known landmarks to evaluate placement and context. Click on this link to download the PDF plans version. Once the site position is resolved, the architecture begins to respond to the land itself. This stage investigates how the cabin engages the slope—how it lands, lifts, and opens toward key views—through iterative studies of form and terrain.

FORM Form is the stage where the design begins to take shape visually, translating the approved floor plan into a built expression that responds to its surroundings. Consideration is given to orientation, climate, natural light, views and the relationship between the building and its site, ensuring that aesthetic decisions are supported by performance and practicality. Through a process of testing, refining and visualising different design options, the external appearance evolves to achieve a balanced outcome that integrates function, value and architectural character. This stage provides an opportunity to review and compare design directions, ensuring that the final form is both purposeful and enduring.

The design philosophy was guided by a simple brief: to create a contemporary cabin that captures the honest and utilitarian character of a rural farm shed. Rather than competing with the surrounding landscape, the building draws on familiar agricultural forms, robust materials and uncomplicated detailing to establish a sense of belonging within its setting.

Responding to the site's natural topography, the design embraces the changing levels to strengthen the connection between the architecture and the land. Positioned below the primary outlook, the separate bath house or “crate house” extends the experience beyond the main cabin, creating a destination within the landscape. Its vertical timber cladding, detailed with open gaps reminiscent of a traditional crate, introduces texture, light and transparency while reinforcing the rural narrative of the project.

Together, the cabin and bath house are conceived as a collection of simple forms that appear grounded within the contours of the site. The composition celebrates the relationship between shelter, landscape and function, transforming a practical farm-inspired brief into an architectural response that is both contemporary and deeply connected to place.