Permanent Camping 3 by Casey Brown Architecture is a remarkable example of architectural innovation and a thoughtful response to the natural environment. This project, located on a cattle property near Orange in Wiradjuri Country, Australia, showcases the studio's commitment to creating spaces that seamlessly blend with the surrounding landscape. The PC series, spanning nearly two decades, has evolved from towers to a more organic form, reflecting the studio's desire to meet the Australian landscape within an exacting space for sleeping, bathing, and resting.
One of the most intriguing aspects of PC3 is its departure from the vertical logic of its predecessors. Instead of towers, the design team, led by co-founder Rob Brown, decided to emulate a tent as the most efficient form of shelter. The result is an A-frame structure that is both ancient and efficient. The cabin is elevated on a gravel-ringed platform, supporting a double-skin structure with an inner volume tailored to an intimate scale and an outer Corten steel envelope that drapes over the cabin like a blanket. This design not only creates a visually striking structure but also ensures that the cabin is well-protected from the elements.
The materials used in PC3 are a key part of its success. The warmth of the interior timber walls and floor contrasts with the rustic exterior patinated steel, creating a unique and captivating aesthetic. Rob Brown describes the materials as "like you see at the beach, a really weathered old shell, but inside it’s beautiful, polished and pearl-like." This contrast is not just visually appealing but also functional, as the interior provides a cozy and inviting space while the exterior blends seamlessly with the natural surroundings.
Inside, the program is one of cultivated sufficiency. The cabin includes a bed facing the valley, a pot-belly stove at its foot, a bar with a sink and coffee machine, and a louvred bathroom beyond. The scale, simplicity of the structure, and trust of the clients freed the practice to invest meaningfully in the interior with every fitting, fixture, light, and piece of furniture specified or custom-designed. As Rob puts it, "everything you need, nothing you don’t."
PC3 is also a meditation on scale. Located on the outskirts of Orange, where the sky is wide and the landscape immense, the cabin is designed to "intrigue" without sliding into sculptural vanity. The design team achieved this through material exactitude, formal restraint, and the calibration to place. The result is a small building with its own character, not a house shrunk down but a considered architectural proposition in an ongoing attempt to live well in the landscape.
In my opinion, PC3 is a testament to the power of architecture to create spaces that are both functional and beautiful. The design team's attention to detail, their use of natural materials, and their commitment to creating a space that seamlessly blends with the surrounding landscape make PC3 a truly remarkable project. It is a project that invites you to step back and think about the relationship between architecture and the natural world, and it raises a deeper question about how we can create spaces that are both sustainable and aesthetically pleasing.
