Bill Coperthwaite: Yurt Builder Extraordinaire

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You see, one of my goals in design — whether for a house or a pair of shoes — is to involve the machine less and the person's own capabilities more and more. That doesn't mean throwing out all machines or spending two weeks making a needle . . . such an approach can get ridiculous. But it does mean that whenever I can find a reasonably simple way to eliminate special material or tools in making a yurt, I'll do it . . . not in order to produce a quick result — like a molded plastic house — but in order to let the builder use his own personal skills.

PLOWBOY: What makes a yurt special, different from any other round building?

COPERTHWAITE: One distinctive feature of our version is the outward-sloping walls, and another is the fact that the roof of the yurt supports itself with the aid of a compression ring in the center, which also serves as a skylight. When we did a search in connection with our patent application on the yurt design, we found that — as far as the Patent Office is concerned — this kind of round structure is unique.

PLOWBOY: As long as the basic principles are followed, yurts can be built in any size, can't they?

COPERTHWAITE: Oh, yes, all sorts of variations are possible . Right now, for instance, we're working on a concentric yurt — one building within another — so we can put up a whole house without having to hook small units together. The concentric plan solves the problem of dividing circles into an attractive living space, and at the same time creates a more secure structure than one span. Actually, I built one of these double yurts five years ago but didn't want to publish the design until I'd simplified it to the point where the average person could put the building together. We're about ready to offer the concentric yurt plan now.

PLOWBOY: What else is happening in yurt research at present?

COPERTHWAITE: Well, I'm designing a log version, to give builders another option in simple materials . . . and we're making prefab yurts that cut the building time in half for people who want to put one up in a hurry. Also, I'm traveling around the country holding workshops with groups who want to build yurts and maybe experiment with the design while they're at it.

PLOWBOY: How long does it take to construct a yurt in a workshop?

COPERTHWAITE: If the materials are gathered together and enough hands are available, we can put up a small one in about three days . . . though I prefer to take five to allow time for seminars and discussions on both yurt-building and social design.

Ideally, of course, the group — students, family, community — will have been thinking about the project ahead of time, collecting the material, raising what money is needed. The more they're involved the better.

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