Grant Olson contacted me about a portable Ger he built and lived in for 3 months and he asked me to share his project with you. I am impressed with his ger and think it would make a perfect temporary shelter or home. I’ll let Grant tell you more about it.
About this time last year, I was finalizing plans for a 7-month natural building apprenticeship in the Irish countryside. Though lodging was unavailable, our instructor invited us to camp on the property if the idea of renting a room in town was a bit pricey. Having spent my last dimes on the plane ticket, I began designing a shelter to bring with me: something portable enough to disguise as luggage, yet comfortable enough to keep me satisfied for the duration of my stay.
Inspired by the simple and tested design of the Mongolian ger, I set to work miniaturizing its components; the resulting structure measures 8′ in diameter and 6′ at its peak when set up, but folds down to fit inside an 11″ x 8″ x 48″ box. Its total weight is just over 20 lbs, and it cost less than $150 to build (though a few connections allowed me to obtain materials for cheap/free).
