Life in a Yurt

Yurts not only fulfill the need for simplicity and minimalism, but also the desire for a life in harmony with nature. It's not just young people, however, who are looking for alternatives to crowded city life. More and more people are becoming interested in the idea of ​​a more modest life in a small space.
According to Christian Schinke of www.transportable-raeume.de, who lives with his wife and two young sons in 20 square meters, it's easier to focus on the essentials in a circus wagon or yurt, as the limited space naturally compels this. Together with his business partner Michael Herzog, he builds and renovates habitable circus wagons and yurts. Their property is shared by several families, and the yurt serves as a communal space.
The domed structure of the yurts conveys a cozy and almost cathedral-like atmosphere that captivates the observer in an inexplicable way. Due to their construction, furnishing yurts is more challenging. It requires some adjustment to open-plan living, as partitioning off rooms isn't so easy.
In Austria, people living in a yurt as a completely self-sufficient dwelling are still a rare breed, as Claudius Kern, who has long been involved with the topic and regularly conducts yurt-building workshops, reports. Most yurts are used as seminar rooms, forest and alternative schools, or even as guest rooms, as mentioned earlier, also for tourist accommodation.

Adapting to our climate

To adapt yurts to the conditions in our latitudes, some modifications are necessary. Imported yurts from countries like Mongolia or Kyrgyzstan are not suitable for our climate and tend to mold after three years. The felt used in the countries of origin is a poor insulating material, as there is nothing there other than animal hair, ropes, and wooden poles. Although the basic concept remains the same, Claudius Kern has refined his construction methods over the years and now uses different materials to meet the needs of our latitudes. Instead of the traditional latticework, he now uses hardboard or plywood for the walls and prefers a hybrid of yurt and dome, which he calls "Jom." This construction method best reflects his philosophy of the alchemy of building and living and also takes into account improved technologies and our current standard of living.

Straw as Insulation

The only drawback is that yurts are not very soundproof. However, yurt builder Gerd Kerschbaumer (www.rundesleben.at) is convinced that straw is not only inexpensive but also offers the best sound insulation.

An Excel program allows you to plan any practical dome or yurt size with the desired thickness at the touch of a button. A highly mobile residential yurt is just as well insulated and heated as a more robust, stationary yurt. Other topics covered in the yurt building workshops include water self-sufficiency (direct water recycling through interior planting), indoor "Terra Preta toilets," energy self-sufficiency (e.g., through solar energy), alternatives for heating, cooking, and decentralized, self-sufficient power supply, as well as charcoal production for Terra Preta (note: this requires particularly fertile soil).

Starting at €150 per square meter

For a yurt with a diameter of seven meters, Schinke estimates costs of around €24,000. According to Kern, construction is simple and even possible for laypeople. Those who do more of the work themselves can reduce the price to €150 to €200 per square meter. The initial self-construction takes about a month for a diameter of five to eight meters (with the help of helpers).

The area can be expanded in a ring shape if space requirements increase. Theoretically, a residential yurt with an area of ​​250 square meters could be built: a central area with two eight-meter diameter sections stacked on top of each other, surrounded by a four-meter-wide outer ring. If built well, a yurt is very durable. Only the outer skin (waterproof awning fabric) needs to be replaced every 20 to 30 years, for which Kerschbaumer uses breathable Gore-Tex.

Self-sufficient living in nature is not ideal in our latitudes. But as a living room in the countryside, garden studio, therapy or seminar room and much more, one can experience many wonders in the belly of the yurt.