![\"photo-25\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.evergreen.edu\/chrissymakes\/files\/2014\/10\/photo-25.jpg\")
<\/a>\nI will explore why yurts have been used for thousands of years as the primary shelter for nomads. I hope to gain an understanding of physical structures and the purpose they serve for our needs, both functional and aesthetic. Furthermore, I want to study the link between lifestyle and the concept of \u201chome,\u201d and use this analysis as a means to explore our current method of survival.<\/p>\n
My overarching goal is to find out how 3D printing can help build cheap, accessible, and sustainable homes for people. Reaching beyond my motivation to learn how to build and design prototypes for simple, small-scale homes, I also want to teach others how to be more appreciative, creative, and aware of their natural surroundings.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen one buys a house today, he\/she is essentially going on a voyage on planet Earth for the next thirty or forty years. Considering the condition of the planet (due to years of abuse), our [homes] must now be self-contained. Our numbers are too great for us to continue taking from the planet\u2014we must now stand with<\/i> it\u201d (Reynolds 8).<\/p>\n
Before 3D printing can guide us toward a more sustainable future, we must revisit how our ancestors \u201cstood with the land\u201d. Yurts are an ideal example of adaptability in a home and lifestyle. For thousands of years, they have existed in nomadic cultures of Central Asia. \u201cThe Mongolian pastoral nomads relied on their animals for survival and moved their habitat several times a year in search of water and grass for their herds\u201d (Leicester 6).<\/p>\n
An emphasis on mobility and non-permanence means that nomadic, Mongolian living spaces had to be built with transportability in mind. \u201cNot only did gers [the Mongolian word for \u2018home\u2019] make this easy by being so fast to set up, they were also very light. Large family gers could be entirely dismantled in an hour and hauled on two or three pack animals\u201d (Nat\u2019l Geographic Education).<\/p>\n
As a physical structure, Mongolian yurts were a response to a conversation with the environment. One could argue that perhaps they<\/i> didn\u2019t design the yurt, but their physical surroundings forced the yurt into existence. For example, \u201cthe dwellings for the nomadic cultures of the Central Asian steppe [existed in] a very windy biome, and the circular shape of yurts made them able to resist winds from any direction. The sloping, aerodynamic shape of the roof also meant that winds were unlikely to tear off roof beams\u201d (Nat\u2019l Geographic Education).<\/p>\n