Report # 35 : Traditional wood frame construction (yurta)

by Ulugbek T. Begaliev, Svetlana Uranova

This type of building is the national traditional dwelling of the Kyrgyz people. It is a light portable construction. The bearing structure of a yurta is a special wood frame, consisting of wood poles. The wood frame is covered by felt tension cloth. The floors are traditionally covered with felt rugs (koshma). Yurtas can be easily disassembled and moved to new places. They are warm in winter and cool in the summer. The buildings have only one door and one opening in the roof. Yurtas are circular in plan. The diameter is usually 4 m#6 m. This type of building is used at the present time by shepherds, particularly during the summer, for celebrations and funerals, and as temporary buildings during extreme situations in Kyrgyzstan. The yurta is a very light structure, has a symmetrical plan, and has good seismic resistance.

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