yurt

Bryan Aulick / Do It Yurtself

This yurt is making environmentally friendly living look cooler than ever

With both climate change on the rise and the real estate market getting harder and harder to get into, there’s a cool new way to become a homeowner while being both frugal and environmentally friendly. The yurt has long been used in cultures as a place to call home, but a new version of the old habitat is making waves.

The typical tent-style accommodation hasn’t been looked at as a forever home for most people because they like certain creature comforts that seemingly can’t be found in a more outdoorsy lifestyle. The new modern yurt, though, has everything a person could ever want and need—plus a killer price tag.

The yurt is rooted in history

The yurt is a sort of circular tent that was used throughout Mongolia, Turkey, and Siberia for centuries as a way for people to protect themselves against the harsh outdoors. They have been around for at least 3000 years in most Asian cultures, and their roots can be dated back to as early as 484 BC.

The structure of a yurt is very simple. It’s circular and open concept, usually made with wood as the frame, sheep’s wool as insulation, and a waterproof canvas on the outside for added weather protection. The old concept of the yurt has gotten a new life, though, and the new design is something to be marveled at.

You can build it from the ground up

Bryan Aulick / Do It Yurtself

The simplicity of the yurt doesn’t make the design any less stunning, but building it is just that—simple. The website Do It Yurtself has a complete instruction manual to put it together in no time, and it’s actually pretty easy. You pick the design of everything from the type of plumbing you want, the size and loft addition, finishing touches, and even which plants you want inside your new home.

The options are endless, and the personalization of the yurt will help you create a home all your own. Zach Both and Nicole Lopez created the site after they got tired of traveling and wanted to put down roots without having to sacrifice too much money and their love of nature.

You don’t have to sacrifice modern living

The beauty of living in the new modernly styled yurt is that it doesn’t mean having to get rid of the conveniences of modern life. The yurts all have both electrical (hooked up to the city’s resources) and running water (from a well) and gives off the appeal of a condo within nature.

The price of the yurt is possibly one of the best things about it. The range is from a few thousand dollars for a basic yurt and goes all the way up to 100 thousand, which is still well below a New York one-bedroom or even a house in the nicer part of town.

You get the best of both worlds in a yurt

Because of its modern touch and addition of many plants and naturalistic style, the yurt gives the illusion of city living wherever it’s built. The finishes are all made to your liking, so if you’re not looking for anything extravagant, you don’t have to add it on.

If you want something that feels high-end but allows you to live an environmentally conscious lifestyle, there’s finishes and options for that too.

There are many additions for added nature inside the yurt, including a plant garden on the bedroom loft, lattice walls for installing your own potted plants, and even a skylight in the middle of the ceiling where it all comes together. The yurt life may just be the future of a sustainable habitat.

A deeper dive — Related reading from the 101:

ge