Sapling at Rosby // Mudgee, NSW

Sapling at Rosby is a contemporary, off grid, art based, farm stay building that respects the existing suite of earth buildings on a working property in Mudgee, NSW. A new award winning, rammed earth cellar door and gallery was built on the property in 2020 and the new farm stay building takes many cues from the existing, contemporary structure. Sapling at Rosby is an art based, farm stay experience and features a regular rotation of works by Australian Artists. The new building has been developed by Amber Norton-Knight and her husband and Architect, Cameron Anderson.

The building is entirely off grid, relying on 8.8kw of solar panels with 18.8kw battery storage and 43,000L rainwater storage servicing the building and bushfire requirements. Large overhangs shade the Northern and Western facades, while new trees further shade the low western sun in summer. All timber used for the building was sustainably sourced Spotted Gum hardwood which will grey over time. Spotted gum windows, doors were all manufactured locally and high level operable louvers and operable windows can be opened at night for night purging via natural ventilation. The rammed earth was constructed by our builder Penney Constructions, our neighbour who lives less than 2km from the site creating a very low embodied energy building. Thermal mass is incorporated through rammed earth and polished concrete slab and this is managed via opportunities for natural ventilation.

Project Details

Architecture and interiors - Cameron Anderson Architects

Builder - Penney Constructions

Structural Engineer - Scott Smalley Partnership

Energy Consultant - Marc Kiho

Bushfire Consulting - Bushfire Planning and Design

Biodiversity Consultant - KSH Ecology and Bushfire

Photography - Amber Creative