Overlooking the Pacific Ocean and situated on the paddocks of Berry is Permanent Camping 2. Designed to provide the essential requirements for shelter – a bed, a deck, a fireplace, and a bathroom – this retreat has everything needed and distils the demands of living to the essentials.

The structure has been made from recycled ironbark that was sourced from a disused wharf. Water is collected on the roofs that feed the tank above the bathroom to supply water to the shower and kitchen. A potbelly wood-fired stove heats the cabin and solar panels on the roof provide power for lighting, while a ladder affords access to the roof and also doubles as a lightning conductor.

The environment was the driving concept for the design of this minimal shelter for two people, designed to be completely off-grid. The 100 per cent recycled timber structure is entirely protected from the harsh Australian elements by its fully enclosing copper skin that ensures there is no rain or sun damage to the Ironbark. When in-use, the structure has three manual winches to lift and lower the sides of the building and creates wide verandas with an overhang for sun protection while increasing the usable floor space by three metres on either side.

All doors and windows were fabricated from the same Ironbark to create a uniform internal and external palette. The building is sited on small steel legs to prevent any termite damage and can be moved if required with minimal disruption to the structure or the landscape.

The cabin is accessible only by foot. It can be seen from a distance in the landscape presenting itself as a small sculpture. The function is only revealed on close inspection as the side panels open up and the service tower becomes obvious.

Furniture: Kaare Klint, Moroso, Ozblock, Dalian Hivolt, Anibou, Koskela. Lighting: Futagami, Marset. Fittings & Fixtures: Mark Preston.

Photography: Andrew Loiterton