What is a yurt?

It's a tent!

Traditionally called a Ger in Mongolia, yurts and circular tents like them have housed people in Central and East Asia for thousands of years.

The portability and easy assembly of their homes was, and continues to be, crucial for nomadic communities. This tradition in minimal footprint is indeed what give yurts their true beauty. A yurt is, first and foremost, a tent. And nothing short of the quintessential structure that represents natural harmony and living lightly on the earth.

For most of our ancestors anywhere on earth, home was once a circular dwelling. The first circle inscriptions are petroglyphs believed to be 40,000 years old - making the circle one of our oldest fixations. Yurts naturally call on a deep well in us. And we guarantee that you will love being in our space.

More than “the round”

But it’s not just about the shape - it’s about the architecture. As a building, the yurt is one of the most ingenious structures ever designed. The essence of a yurt is a conical roof that is fixed to a structural lattice wall which acts as a spring. This monolithic structure of cone and spring means there are no individual elements. It is exceptionally efficient at distributing loads because the entire structure is always working together.

Strong but minimal? We assure you, we have much yet to learn from our ancestors.

About 50 years ago, yurts started to appear in the very North American business of mass producing fabric tents with cheap and available materials. This confused fusion of Mongolian tradition and western buildings created a North American original: the "McYurt". A brilliant 1000+ year old design was made worse in just about every way, then copied by makers here ever since.

Even today, the traditional Mongolian Ger remains an under-appreciated engineering marvel. Mongolian yurts may not be designed for long-term performance in our sometimes quite humid North American climate. And the tradition may lack important functionality for contemporary use. But its structural brilliance is the very heart of a yurt, and the heart of beautiful and minimal spaces.

If we care about one thing, it's designing strong, beautiful and minimal tent spaces that honour the best in tradition.

View Our Models Pricing & Financing

Composition of Our Yurts

As tents, yurts are lightweight structures. With some planning, their minimal footprint allows you to achieve a strong, year-round shelter with minimal site preparation.

A yurt’s anatomy typically includes the following components.
Each element shown may not be required depending on the particular shelter, the site and the needs of users.

Dome

the “tonoo” was covered by fabric, vented via guylines from the ground

corkscrew mess like skylights

includes a slick operable acrylic dome over a round central compression ring made of solid wood.

Outer Fabric

canvas, not too waterproof

impermeable and toxic

is weatherproof, maintainable and breathable. The only consideration is breathability. Look for how your roof attaches to your wall.

Windows

usually, no windows

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Chimney Vent

in the middle of the space, between two pillars

out the wall like a house

chimneys vent through the roof like traditional, but we clear the central space, and push the chimney to the side to open the space.

Felt

multiple layers of thick felt

canvas covers are hung to hide the plain bubble-wrap insulation typically sealed around the frame

combines the best of traditional and contemporary materials. 100% wool felt is needled to a radiant layer. This thermal and radiant capacity makes it an excellent lightweight insulator that is completely breathable.

Frame

is framed with a structural circle, cone on cylinder. Our frames are full natural hardwood, which is flexible, beautiful, and on display.

Door

doors are crafted from clear furniture grade cedar.

Floor

usually two pads for a family to migrate to through the seasons

: build or buy a floor from us.

Deck

not usually employed

North American building standard poured footings

decks are built with a minimal footprint, using freestanding Octopad construction.

You are the real deal.

— Michal in Ontario

Sturdy. robust, bomb-proof in any inclement weather, far surpassing a mere tent in comfort and dare I say rustic opulence.

— Christian in Ontario

Every person I have shown my Yurta to has remarked on the quality and the craftsmanship – we are incredibly pleased with the product.

— Scott in Ontario

We just love our Yurta. I can hardly believe how beautiful it is! It’s amazing actually; such a beautiful and comfortable space to be in. I love the windows and it’s nestled so beautifully in the trees.

— Laura in Ontario

Thank you so much for all of your help and support, and for the amazing Yurt! It is such a beautiful structure to be in. Your attention to all the little details is amazing. Cheers to your dedication to excellence in design, sustainable and versatile housing.

— Shamus in Nelson, BC

Integrity and attention to detail that is second to none.

— Pat in California

Spatially gracious – like a natural forest clearing.

— Emmanuelle & Mohammed in Ontario

After looking at all our options, Yurta was the best in our minds and we took a leap of faith and ordered it sight-unseen. It was even better than expected.

— Laura in Texas

Exceeded all my expectations by miles – especially the beautiful felt insulation.

— Rick in Ontario

For workshops or meetings, for yoga or meditation or as an extra room for guests, Yurta is perfect. Every visitor has loved the design, the light, the air flow and the functionality.

— Christine in Ontario

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