The one drawback with the yurt for me is the lattice walls and how they affect your view out of the windows. You probably get used to it after a while and I know there are alternatives.

This photo is courtesy of the Colorado Yurt Company.

Laurel Nest Yurts is offering a “Complete Yurt Building Experience” and a DIY Yurt Building Workshop.

Laurel Nest Yurt building workshops give you all the skills you need to:

• Build the platform
• Plan, design and build your walls, roof and tono.
• Install framed and mesh windows and skylight
• Sew your yurt cover out of Canvas
• Erect the yurt

The cost for the workshop is $125 to help cover costs incurred by workshop (snacks, materials, instructors, printing of the manual, etc.) We will have a limit of 10 people at our workshop, snacks and camping available.

You can get the complete details here: http://www.laurelnestyurts.com/ blog or use the following contact information:

For more information or registration contact:
Adrian
831-338-8300
adriantepperman@gmail.com

One of the issues with yurts that sends many people away is the fact that they are made of canvas or wood and usually have a lattice skeleton which blocks your view. A serious concern if you are in a beautiful area. circHouse has taken the age old shape of the yurt and put technology to work creating an innovative new structure. By utilizing polycabonate and acrylic wall structures, a recycled steel frame and natural wood paneling they have created a modern looking structure that is compact for shipping and that can be assembled in a few short hours.

Here is what they say about the house for Recreational and Vacationing: “The circHouse for the recreational setting takes advantage of the full view floor to ceiling picture window and sliding window capabilities. We use wood panels where desired to create a more “natural” feel to the structure. The Polygal greenhouse roof panels can be used to let in lots of natural light and warmth. A simple Photovoltaic system, wood stove and solar water heating system can provide the comforts of home in an off grid and remote location. You can start putting the circHouse up in the morning and have lunch in your new getaway vacation home!”

I see great potential for a tiny house and their price on the website for a 20 foot cirHouse is $11,950, which is comparable to many canvas yurts. I would enjoy seeing one of these in person and hope to send a couple of my friends in Colorado to get a first hand look at it. If you are in the Denver area, I would suggest you check out this company and give me your opinion on this fine new design.

Becky has lived in yurts for many years in the mountains of the American Northwest. Her book was completed a few years ago while living in her own portable fabric yurt on a permaculture homestead in Idaho. She has also created an educational website called Yurt Info, a newsletter and a Facebook page for other yurt owners and fans of the wood and fabric buildings. The Yurt Info site offers information on how to buy or build a yurt, and includes a forum and links to numerous yurt videos and photo albums.

Photos courtesy of Yurt Info.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Their Pacific Dome is attached to a temporary insulated foundation and the entire structure took about four days to erect. Currently the dome does not have insulation, but they plan to order a special cover to be used in the winter. A solar fan is attached to the outside to provide air circulation during the summer. So far the structure has been very sturdy…even in our area’s notorious winds and heavy snows. Unfortunately, a few neighbors reported the dome to the local building department and the department now wants a set of structural calculations about the dome which will be supplied by the engineer at Pacific Domes.

Pacific Domes, located in Ashland, Oregon has been designing and building domes since 1980. They use the sacred geometry of R. Buckminster Fuller to create spacious, yet structurally sound domes of all sizes. Pacific Domes have been used for special events, weddings, meditation, yoga and healing spaces, schools, emergency shelters, eco-living, camping, and a large dome without the cover is even used for the infamous “Thunderdome” at Burning Man. Pacific Domes have also been used in Haiti and after Hurricane Katrina for temporary shelters and hospitals.

Many Pacific Dome customers purchase their domes to live in. The company offers different cover materials to allow for use in any climate. They have insulation packages available that, in conjunction with a wood stove or other heating system, make the dome a comfortable space in cold weather. They also recommend radiant heat in the dome floor. Larger domes can accommodate lofts, walls, and other partitions to create separate rooms. All interior construction should be free standing and self supported.

YouTube Video: Erecting a Pacific Dome

YouTube Video: Very elegant and liveable dome at Pacific Domes

The dome frames are made from galvanized steel. The steel, in conjunction with the geodesic design, creates an amazingly strong structure using a minimal amount of material. Geodesic domes are world-renowned for their strength and integrity. Depending on your situation and needs, they offer “heavy duty” 1.31”, through “extreme” 1.9”, frames in addition to the “standard” .92” frame. The dome covers are made of SunLite fabric or Tropical fabric. Insulation can be a liner with Reflectix or a thermoshield painted on the inside of the dome.

Three floor plans are offered and several foundation options. The roof, door, round windows and portions of the sidewalls can be replaced with screens for ventilation if needed. A solar fan is recommended to aid in ventilation, especially in damp areas.

Photos Courtesy of Christina Nellemann and Pacific Domes

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Workshop location: Laurel Nest Yurts 264-1 Marlowe Dr. Mills River, North Carolina

We will be teaching people how to build all yurt parts. All participants will leave the workshop with knowledge about building their own yurt, sewing the yurt cover, the complete yurt building manual, and a roof ring that they assembled and finished on their own. We will offer lots of tips and suggestions, and participants should leave the workshop with first hand experience and knowledge about how all yurt parts come together.

We feel that because the roof ring is the most challenging frame piece to build, it will benefit all participants to make it on site. In the sewing studio, we teach how to make windows, assemble the walls, and cut and sew an entire roof! Some of the participants have helped with the sewing.

The cost for the workshop is the cost of the ring plus $100 to help cover costs incurred by workshop (food, materials, instructors, printing of the manual, etc.) We will have a limit of 8 people at our workshop. Deadline for registration is April 11! Check our website www.laurelnest.com for prices and other information. We will also be posting information on our facebook page, so sign up to get updates!

We had some other positive feedback, and testimonials, and they are below… thanks to everybody who made the workshop a success!

”I don’t know where I could find a better value in a sustainable shelter or a more helpful group of people to facilitate my dream of building my own yurt, then at Laurel Nest Yurts.”

“The workshop was awesome! people had a great time and learned a lot..no matter what level of know-how they came in with. There were people who already knew a lot, and people like me who were total beginners, and everyone was comfortable and got a chance to learn. Thanks Hal, Charlie, Asia and everyone for a great weekend!”

“I loved the hands-on options. Thanks for the background, so that personal modifications [to the yurts] can be made… I would recommend this workshop to others!”

Bruce say: I built two 12′ yurts last summer each, with 12 students, and each, in two days, start to finish and up. I’ll be offering the lessons learned in a workshop this summer. Course details at http://www.forloveofyurts.blogspot.com.  Minimal cost on a sliding scale $225-$185. The 12′ yurt design is simple and uses ordinary lumber and simple sail maker technology to make a waterproof roof (polytarps cut to shape and jointed with double sided carpet tape hammered down with rubber mallets). Material cost of each 12 foot yurt was $421.83 using Pex for a dome or about $771.83 using a plastic dome. There are pictures of the classwork at the blog at older posts from the workshop announcement.

Yurts have sheltered people since Heradotus wrote histories 2000 years ago. With minimal woodworking skills, a home of complex and magical beauty can be made at an amazingly modest cost, (roughly one tenth of the cost of a Yurt kit). In this workshop, you will gain an experience that will allow you to make your own yurt of any size and any design. This course will lead you through building walls, door frames, rafters, roof rings, roof ring supports, domes, tension bands and coverings. You will gain an experience that will allow you to make your own yurt that meets you needs and matches your dreams.

Workshop Objectives

To learn how to build an ultra simple, green, sustainable yurt
To learn simple power and hand woodworking skills necessary to build a yurt
To experience the magic of wall rods, under tension, shaping walls
To experience the ease and joy of lifting the roof ring skyward and fitting rafters to ring and wall
To see how a yurt cover plays with light
To gain a knowledge that allows you to create your own yurt

Build Your Own Dream Yurt.
Memorial Day Weekend, Friday 4 PM To Sunday 4 PM, May 27-29
Click here for all the details: For Love of Yurts

Isaac Murphy the owner of Turtleback Nomadic Yurts says this one is 16 foot in diamater  or 200 square feet. It can be put up or taken down in two hours. 6 ft. 8 in. interior eve height and 10 ft. interior center height at hub. The basic package includes 7 windows and is made from pine and aspen wood. Insulation R-value approx. 5. No flapping canvas, solid and stable. $8000 basic package.

We are located near Dolores, Colorado, about 30 miles northeast of the four corners. Aside from what you can see on the blog, we are also working on a fully insulated model, slightly heavier and beefed up for winter living. It will be slightly larger, 18ft. diameter, and use 2×6 rafters as opposed to 2×4 on the one see on the website. We do all the manufacturing ourselves in our little shop here on the property, from lumber we purchase from the lumber yard. Eventually, we’d like to buy wood from one of the local mills and cure it ourselves, providing a good local source.

Because everything is custom built, the possibilities are endless terms of what one could put in each of the wall and roof panels. We’ve thought quite a bit about skylights, or carvings in the wall panels. There are two of us young guys doing most of the manufacturing, and our master designer, Bodhi, who initiated the idea and provides the expertise.

We think the yurts provide a very adaptable and functional space for those looking to simplify, or just to keep their options open in terms of changing locations without taking a loss in the arena of housing. Building permits and codes in this area do not apply to temporary structures, particularly those of such small square footage, which adds another advantage. The round structure also brings a nice feel, and contributes to the sense of down to earth living. Overall, the yurts are a great option for the times, when some flexibility might come in handy.

Visit the Turtleback Nomadic Yurt website to learn more. Or contact them at 970 564 1737, turtlebacknomadics@gmail.com

This is the latest version of the Solargon 20 with 311 sq. ft of living space. Owners Kale and Laura have finished this charming cabin complete with deck, sandstone patio, hot tub and root cellar. The Solargon 20-4 features a four sided roof system over an ultra efficient SIPs octagon.

Small gable windows illuminate the T&G ceiling giving this cabin an open and light living space. The SIPs building envelope, which included all wall and roof panels was assembled in 6 hours and the owners completed the entire project in 3 months.

The approximate cost for this home was between $100 and $140 a square foot. To follow other projects visit the Solargon blog.

The cabin, called Canopy Cottage, looks magical at night- like a Chinese lantern; it glows.

The tipi influence is expressed as the cream- colored canvas wall covering. It has a special feature: The part that covers the door can be stored over the rafter (as shown) or can be let down, over the doorway. When you are in a tipi, the inner wall has the option of covering the door also– this imparts a feeling of being closed in and cozy. I like the canvas to be down when it is cold and rainy; up on the rafter (as shown) when it is sunny.

The yurt influence is expressed in four ways: Partial mobility, opening upward, round edges, and semi- transparent roof. When you’re in a yurt, it feels like it is opening up and outward due to the slant of the walls and the angle of the roof. Canopy Cottage has borrowed these qualities by rounding the roof and terminating their ends at a point beyond the sight of the viewer (Behind the grow zones above the eaves). This implies an expansiveness that feels very open. The Cottage bolts and screws together in 23 pre-finished pieces- rendering it semi- mobile, but more secure than a yurt or tipi, as it has solid, insulated walls and two locking doors with keys.

The tent influence is expressed by the use of the ridgepole and the expectation of using beautiful fabric on the interior walls. I encourage you to use layers of translucent fabric hung from the rafters to control light. In my research, I found that some tropical nomadic tribes use up to five layers of draped fabric to control light, heat, breezes and mosquitoes- with a rich, kingly effect.

The interior is 10 foot high with 5 mm Solexx brand green house covering for the roofing. The base is 8 feet by 12 feet, therefore, 96 square feet total floor space. The sleeping loft is 4 feet wide by 10 feet long by 3.5 feet high.

To view more pictures the Snow Drift website. If your interested in buying it check out the Ebay listing.