A celestial escape:

Under Stars and Sky cabin

Beyond the historic township of Berrima, a narrow bush track winds through gum trees before opening onto a clearing where timber, stone and steel sit against a backdrop of paddocks and forest. At once familiar and unexpected, Under Stars and Sky draws on the language of the Australian slab hut while expressing it in a softer, more contemporary form.

Designed as a place to slow down and reconnect with the landscape, the cabin is defined by its relationship with the sky. Light moves through the interiors from above, washing across Blackbutt timber surfaces and shifting with the weather throughout the day.

As evening settles across the Southern Highlands, attention turns upward. Four VELUX Skylights positioned above the bed transform the upper level into a front-row seat to the night sky, allowing guests to watch clouds drift past, stars emerge and changing seasons unfold overhead.

"The sky here is incredible," says, homeowner Laney Clancy. "You can walk outside, look up and completely lose track of time. We wanted to create a place where other people could have that experience too."

Laney and her husband Darren, which as a tradesperson, constructed most of the cabin, used this ambition as the starting point for Under Stars and Sky Cabin, a compact guest cabin designed by AO Design Studio and hand-built by the couple over three years. Inspired by the simple form of traditional Australian slab huts, the cabin reinterprets a familiar rural building type through a distinctly contemporary lens.

Rather than replicating the past, the design takes its cues from it. Early concepts began with the recognisable silhouette of a simple hut, complete with a traditional pitched roof and chimney. Through the design process, those familiar elements were pulled apart and reconsidered. The chimney evolved into a substantial sandstone blade wall, the roof became a dramatic curved form, and the building itself split into two distinct volumes.

The result is a cabin that feels connected to the region without appearing rustic or nostalgic. The architecture references local building traditions while responding to the way people want to experience the landscape today. The sandstone wall acts as both a visual anchor and a practical element, separating spaces while creating a strong sense of arrival as visitors move through the building.

From the beginning, the brief centred on the night sky. "The first thing we told the architect was that we wanted people to be able to lie in bed and look at the stars," Laney says. "Everything really grew from that."

The original concept explored the idea of a large fixed opening to the sky. As the design developed, however, the practical limitations of a single fixed pane became clear. Ventilation, insect screening and thermal comfort all needed to be considered alongside uninterrupted views.

The solution came in the form of five VELUX opening skylights, four positioned above the bed and another in a small observatory nook tucked into the cabin's narrower volume. The arrangement allows guests to watch the movement of clouds during the day and constellations at night, while introducing natural light deep into the interior.

"Once we started looking at how people would actually use the space throughout the year, the skylights made more sense," says Darren. "We weren't just trying to create a view. We were making a home that would be comfortable to spend time in."

That sense of connection to the outdoors continues throughout the building. In the main living area, large sections of glazing frame views across paddocks and forest. These views continue in the bathroom, which places nature centre stage, while a cantilevered daybed projects from the building envelope, creating a perch above the landscape.

"The daybed is one of my favourite places in the whole cabin," says Laney. "Early in the morning, when the mist is still hanging around and the sun starts coming through the trees, it's hard to leave."

The cabin's setting plays an important role in shaping that experience. Although it sits only minutes from Berrima's cafés and restaurants, reaching it feels like a transition into another world. 

Visitors travel down a rough bush track before emerging into a clearing where the cabin comes into view. A small getaway among the dense bushland, open paddocks and long views towards Nattai Forest create the feeling of being far removed from everyday life.

The modest footprint demanded careful planning. Living, dining and kitchen functions are compressed into a single open space, while a ladder leads to the observatory above. Despite its size, the strategic use of skylights opens views of the sky, while allowing daylight and fresh air to penetrate into every part of the space, meaning the cabin rarely feels constrained. 

The constant presence of the landscape and sky above gives every room a sense of borrowed space. Material choices reinforce that connection.

Sustainability was never treated as a separate design objective. Instead, it became part of the broader goal of creating a building that belonged to its setting. The cabin operates off-grid, drawing power from solar energy and collecting its own water. High-performance insulation, passive ventilation via VELUX Solar skylights and a compact footprint all contribute to reducing energy demand.

“The skylights make a huge differences to the entire home, it would be so uncomfortable without them. The addition of VELUX blackout blinds also help control the temperature and blocks out the sun perfectly, so you can choose to lie in if you want,” says Laney.

Today, the cabin offers visitors a rare combination of shelter and exposure. It is protective without feeling enclosed, and compact without feeling small. Most importantly, it fulfils the ambition that inspired it from the outset.

After dark, guests climb the stairs, settle beneath the skylights and watch the stars emerge overhead.

The project also highlights how VELUX skylights can support both experience and performance. The combination of daylight, controllable ventilation, flyscreens and blackout blinds allowed the original stargazing concept to remain intact while addressing the practical demands of everyday use. 

VELUX's thermally efficient double-glazed skylights are designed to block up to 80 per cent of radiant heat and 99 per cent of UV rays, helping protect indoor comfort while supporting energy efficiency. Combined with natural ventilation and the cabin's heavily insulated envelope, the system helps create a comfortable environment throughout the year without compromising the connection to the landscape and sky.

For Laney, that experience remains the defining feature.

"We wanted people to feel immersed in the landscape, not separated from it. The best moments here are usually the simplest ones. Looking out at the view, watching the weather roll through or lying in bed with the stars overhead. That's what the cabin was always about."