*notcot in home+decor , 00:44

The Nomad Yurt by EcoShack- 03.17.08

theyurtmain.jpgThe Nomad Yurt by EcoShack. I try to settle down, i try to find a “home” and stay put, but i seldom last more than a year. I’m a socal girl who’s home is in her car, on the road, or bouncing between hotel rooms and friends’ places around the world… I suppose i’m a modern day digital nomad. A digi-nomad that needs a yurt!

The one object i walked away from CA Boom V lusting after and itching to drop $8000 on is the Nomad Yurt… it breaks down and pops up in under a half hour (depending how many friends you have), and gives you an instant 120 square feet of calm, shady, cozy privacy, with a nice woody platform (don’t worry about what the ground is like around you like most yurts), a light sturdy bamboo structure, and weatherMAX covering. Whether you use it as an instant studio, a guest room, a spa treatment room, or the best backyard under-tree-house ever… its a fun way to get some extra space, that you can pack up into the back of the car. Take a look at the images of this eco-friendly, permit-free, portable structure as it was at CA Boom, the view from within, and diagrams and images of how you put it together after the jump.

So, what do you think? Instead of investing in “real” offices, wouldn’t it be fun to have a group (commune?) of these instant-office/studio yurts out in Topanga?

I must admit, a part of me has always wanted a yurt, i did a lot of research on them years ago when i was at Nissan Design America doing design research on tents, which naturally lead me to yurts… but this is truly one of the simplest, portable designs i’ve seen, and the wood platform for a floor is a really nice touch. I suppose it’s no surprise that Dwell called this the “Country’s best yurt…”, and that it is the brain child of Stephanie Smith is a designer, architect, entrepreneur, author… and most importantly, a fan of the incredible domes and structures of R. Buckminster Fuller ~ check out her article on him for GOOD magazine.

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For those interested… over at treehugger they seemed to think this one was a bit high priced, but honestly, the more traditional yurts are not quite as portable (up and down in half an hour?) or clean/simple in design or coming with a nice platformed wood floor! Also, this just has such a nicer shape to it!

Anyhow, here are some links to other yurts…
Go Yurt
Colorado Yurt
Red Sky Shelters

Also really cool are these Geodesic Dome options:
Pacific Domes

Oh, and this is slightly embarassing, but google just reminded me that The Nomad Yurt has been seen on NOTCOT.org waaaaaaay back as #3273… but as you guys know, sometimes things in person just grab you in a whole new way.

And here are a few more pics i just found… and the Nomad Yurt has also been seen in the NY Times

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11 Notes

Wow, this thing is beautiful! Looks like things didn’t work out with the business as that site url is dead. Might have been the price tag.

Maybe it would have been more lucrative to sell the plans to make your own? Who knows, but they’re pretty awesome. I read someone else’s comment about “perfect for Burning Man”, which was my first thought when I saw them too. ;)

----- Noel Chandler 02.01.14 21:16

Beautiful Yurt I need contact info Interested in getting some and Have them display in the most beautiful beach of Mexico, Tulum @ Shambala Petit Hotel Tulum Mexico..

----- Roberto Hernandez 30.03.13 11:21

This looks really cool and I have a question about the dimensions on the drawing what scale they are and in cm/inches/m etc?

----- Gözde 07.04.12 04:46

I’ve seen real yurts for about 4000$, sure they’re less portable but can still be set up in a few hours (in your post you make it sound like you want to use them as a ‘home’), and i’m guessing they’re 1000x warmer on cold nights.

----- Steefje 14.07.09 12:48

Its nice and its made of bamboo right? That’s great but what about security ?How easy it would be for anyone to get in there and steal all your stuff? At least the lattice style yurts are harder to get into. And its still just too expensive for what you get. Wonder how hard it would be to make this yourself?

Lisa

----- Lisa 09.09.08 08:33

it looks really nice, and elegant… i like it so much, but i think, it’s difficult to take it from a place to other.. they’re so many pieces!!! but it’s a nice job. congratulations..

----- María Díaz 22.03.08 11:20

what to say?
simple (not banal)
light
faste
pleasant
smart

great!

----- Luca 18.03.08 05:54

I like the idea of buying a cheap lot in Topanga Canyon and using it as “temporary” housing, but what do you do about sanitation and electricity, two things permanent housing definitely has going for it?

There are still some little lots in Topanga you can buy for $40-80k that yield “transfer development credits”. What would they do to some hapless person who bought one and plunked down a Yurt?

Probably nothing pretty considering the amazing level of housing affordability(*) in Topanga Canyon, but you never know.

D

(*) Well, it is, um, amazing, right? I just checked and the cheapest house in the canyon is an economical $390,000. Not bad, I suppose, if it was structurally sound.

----- David Dennis 17.03.08 18:57

perfect for burning man.
:D

----- jenat 17.03.08 12:12

Faaaaaaabulous! Yeah, it’s a tad overpriced, but your observations on the design and simplicity of use override that for me. Plus, Stephanie Smith is one red hot mama.

----- Justin 17.03.08 10:36

This looks really cool—like a wonderful hide-away place, a place to read or write or just have your own time away. I love the look of it, the shape, the floor, and how fast it is to put together. Though the cost will be prohibitive for many people. But, er, wouldn’t you get rained on through the top central hole, if this was outside?

----- Cheryl Rainfield 17.03.08 06:22


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