{"id":16596,"date":"2025-12-29T17:21:35","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T17:21:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/?p=16596"},"modified":"2026-01-21T14:32:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T14:32:08","slug":"yurts-from-traditional-to-modern-sustainable-housing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2025\/12\/yurts-from-traditional-to-modern-sustainable-housing\/","title":{"rendered":"Yurts: from Traditional to Modern Sustainable Housing"},"content":{"rendered":"

A yurt is a round tent-like temporary or semi-permanent house. They have a circular footprint with a wooden frame covered in fabric. The roof is domed with a center opening where the roof poles connect to a heavy center compression ring or wheel.<\/p>\n

Yurts originated in Central Asia. In Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia the yurt is the traditional portable house of nomads. Many nomadic peoples now live a more settled life in towns with access to schools and hospitals. Still, yurts have a traditional place in Central Asian culture.<\/p>\n

In some areas those caring for sheep, cows and horses still live in traditional yurts at least some of the year.<\/p>\n

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S\u00fckhbaatar Square, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Photo by MN5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They are used for festivals, too. Traditional Mongolian yurts are set up temporarily in S\u00fckhbaatar Square in the capital of Mongolia for the Winter Festival and Deeltei Mongol Naadam Festival.<\/p>\n

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Yellow Mongolian Yurt Restaurant
Photo by Peachyeung316<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yurts are used as stores or caf\u00e9s because tourists like them.<\/p>\n

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Yurt as a caf\u00e9 and store in Mongolia
The sign translates to “Food, Fast food restaurant, General store”
Photo by Bouette<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can stay overnight in a yurt. They are increasingly used in tourism as eco-friendly accommodation, allowing visitors to experience traditional lifestyle firsthand.<\/p>\n

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Contemporary Yurt in Llansantffraed-in-Elwel, Powys, Wales
Photo by Bill Nicholls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Modern<\/strong><\/p>\n

In western lands people have promoted the yurt as a practical less intrusive environmentally friendly housing option.<\/p>\n

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1976 Mother Earth News
Build Your Own Yurt foldout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mother Earth News had a Build Your Own Yurt foldout as early as 1976.<\/p>\n

Some modern yurts are very similar to traditional Asian yurts. But, in many cases more high-tech materials are used in their construction. Traditional yurts are temporary dwellings, easy to erect, take down, move and reassemble. Modern yurts are often built to be more permanent structures.<\/p>\n

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Yurt in the mountains surrounding Tekeli, Almaty province, Kazakhstan
Photo by Stomac<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some Asian herdsmen and shepherds use more modern materials for yurts, too.<\/p>\n

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Yurt with solar panel
Lake Tuz-Kol, near Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan
Photo by Adam Harangoz\u00f3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This yurt in Kyrgyzstan combines the advantages of modern technology without abandoning historic skills.<\/p>\n

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Small Tent Yurt
Photo by trenchdroid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can buy small yurt tents.<\/p>\n

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Riverbend Cottage Yurt
Parksville, British Columbia
Photo by Phil Whitehouse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can buy larger tent yurts.<\/p>\n

Some people live year round in a yurt. The family we rented an RV from live in a yurt near us, in Mills River. Like many modern yurts, it had electricity, heat and air conditioning, all the modern conveniences. The doors and windows were just like any other more traditional house.<\/p>\n

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Barely Used Yurt on Facebook Marketplace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New and preowned yurts are listed on eBay and Facebook Marketplace.<\/p>\n

24-foot Barely Used Yurt <\/strong><\/p>\n