a portable home

Domusweb.– The Scottish company Trakke presents the Jero yurt, inspired on traditional mobile homes developed by the nomadic people of Central Asia.

While traditional yurts are typically heavy and bulky, Jero is designed to be relatively light and compressible, allowing it to be transported in a small car, or even in the trailer of a bicycle. To develop the project, Trakke worked in collaboration with designer Uula Jero and with the laboratory of rapid prototyping Maklab.

The designer explains: "In order to minimize weight while maintaining the structural integrity of the yurt we were inspired by nature - the telescoping supports are held together with a system that replicates the strength and durability of a vertebra. By means of numerical control, we have been able to cut much more complex forms that allow us to use less material without compromising the structure".

"We’ve taken time-tested principles and refined them using cutting edge design and manufacturing techniques to bring this ancient dwelling into the 21st century. Its compact pack-size liberates valuable storage space when the yurt is stowed away, while the lightweight construction allows it to be transported in a car with ease".

"Designer and adventurer Uula Jero put the original prototype through it’s paces as he made it his home for a year".

Founder of Trakke states that "there’s something about small spaces that I find fascinating. Much like designing the pocket layout of a bag, small spaces require a lot of thought to make them functional and efficient to use. Poorly executed, they can feel dark and claustrophobic - but done well, they are a simple distillation of everyday living. The question is, how small is too small?"

"Back in 2010, just before I founded Trakke, I was struggling with this very question. For a few years, I’d been researching a little known movement called the Urban Nomads - a group of students and designers who wanted to utilise the convenience of the city to make small scale living a reality for all".

"One of the key proponents of the Urban Nomad movement was Ken Isaacs. His philosophy was simple. Instead of making cities bigger, let’s make buildings smaller. He envisaged a society where students didn’t just move house every couple of years - they literally moved their house. He designed shelters, tools and even furniture, all based around the idea of portability and versatility - releasing many of designs in his book, How to Build your own Living Structures".



"Living Structures grabbed my attention instantly. Full of hand-drawn instructions, it was the Instructables of yesteryear. A DIY bible. Yet no amount of reading had answered my question. I needed to know - How small is too small? The only way to find out was to live it. Following Isaacs’ designs I built a scale model to check out the construction. Then I built my own home. An 8’ Microhouse, in all it’s flat-pack glory".

"I lived in the Microhouse for four months to complete my research. It was situated in a quiet corner of a community garden, in the bustling west end of Glasgow. With solar panels on the roof and a portable shower mounted on the back, I was living off grid right in the heart of civilisation. Tucked in the corner, I had two yellow crates containing all my possessions. When you live in a small house, there’s no room for junk. Everything was chosen for a reason, and everything had to be compact!"



"Living in the microhouse was the adventure of a lifetime. It wasn’t without it’s flaws - the structure had been designed for much warmer climes, and in Glasgow it leaked a lot. It wasn’t toasty warm either. I’d wake up to find my breath freezing on the inside of the windows. But despite all that, life was great. The Microhouse changed the way I thought about everything. My home and possessions had got smaller, but the world outside had got bigger. The beauty of living in a city is that amenities are everywhere. I swapped my television for the cinema, my sofa for the local cafe’s. So often in cities we ignore what’s going on around us; the Microhouse made me embrace it".

"My experience of living small informed every decision when designing the Jero yurt. Working in collaboration with Uula Jero, a man with more tales of adventure and off-grid living than you can shake a stick at, we combined our knowledge and research to create something that embodies simple living. A shelter that is optimised for bad weather, strong winds and snow. A venue for a party. A guest bedroom for friends. A fancy tent. Even a place to call home, if you want".

Trakke Jero Yurt

Dimensions

Diameter: 4m / Floorspace: 12.57m² / Height: Min 1.2m / Max 2.6m / Packed: 1.2 x 0.8 x 0.5m / Weight: 110kg approx
Specification
Structure: Marine Plywood / Cover: 15oz Cotton Canvas / Hardware: Stainless Steel / Rope: Polyester

Prize

£ 4.500

(introductory text and images from Domusweb)