Gilay Estate by Cameron Anderson Architects: An Off-Grid Retreat

An off-grid 40 m² farm stay on Australia’s Liverpool Plains, Gilay Estate reinterprets rural typologies with charred timber, warm interiors and fully self-sufficient systems.

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Set just outside Quirindi on the vast Liverpool Plains of New South Wales, Gilay Estate is a small building with a surprisingly large horizon. Designed by Cameron Anderson Architects, the 40 m² off-grid farm stay is conceived as a protective shell in the landscape: a wrapping sheet-metal roof that recalls the intimacy of a tent while quietly framing uninterrupted views to the south and west.

The architecture is as much about climate as it is about comfort. Extensive double glazing opens the interior to the plains, while generous roof overhangs shield western and northern façades from the summer sun. A 6.4 kW solar system with 11.4 kW of battery storage allows the retreat to operate fully off-grid, and all water used on site is harvested rainwater, stored in a 60,000-litre tank.

Consultation with the local Aboriginal lands council shaped both the narrative and the material palette. The charred timber cladding references traditional burning practices and regeneration, helping the building visually recede into the landscape. Inside, warm natural timber contrasts the dark exterior, evoking ideas of regrowth and healing.

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The plan is deliberately open and flexible. A sleeping area shares the main living space, anchored by a long desk that makes remote work not only possible but desirable. A compact bathroom is tucked away with its own western views, while a generous curved cut-out in the roof maximises sunsets without sacrificing shading performance.

More than a “tiny luxury” escape, Gilay Estate reads as a precise study in how architecture, landscape and culture can align to create off-grid hospitality that feels grounded, regenerative and deeply local.