Cool Spaces: Southern Yurts

INTERVIEWED BY Michaela Stehr IMAGE CREDITS @thatcapetownkid, @jilda_g, @joshescapes, @rebeccaann.raw

Partner team Tobin Davenport and Kate Brink started building yurts as a passion project, which fast evolved into a blossoming company with a one-of-a-kind getaway spot in the Overberg where guests can visit their creations. We chat with them about Southern Yurts and the concept behind these creative mobile living spaces.

What was the idea behind Southern Yurts?

Southern Yurts started in 2018 after we built our first yurt and established a unique guest accommodation offering in the Diepklowe Private Nature Reserve, Overberg. In 2016 and 2017, we travelled through Southeast Asia and New Zealand. Here we encountered yurts for the first time and visited several people who either lived in their yurts permanently or rented them out as experiential guest accommodation. We were enchanted by the form and functionality of the wooden framework and the way the structure plays with light. Originating from the region that is now Mongolia and Kazakhstan, yurts are designed to handle extreme weather and perform particularly well in cooler climates. In these areas, the winters are characterised by snow and strong winds, so we knew a yurt would be able to withstand a Cape storm. These nomadic structures have stood the test of time, providing millions of people with safe, mobile housing over thousands of years. Yet there was no yurt to be bought in South Africa when we returned from our travels at the end of 2017 – so we decided to build our own. Originally, when we decided to start the company, we thought we would focus primarily on manufacturing and sales, however, in the past 3 years, we have also developed a guest accommodation business that offers many more people the opportunity to experience them. The guest accommodation is located on Porcupine Hills Guest Farm in the Overberg, 1,5 hours (100km) from Cape Town, and the yurts are all situated in the beautiful Renosterveld conservancy of the farm.

What was the process for getting started?

Starting a small business takes a lot of dedication, as any entrepreneur will know. It took a bit of time and effort to introduce this new accommodation design to South Africa – most people had never heard of a ‘yurt’!

We started Southern Yurts on our own and in a semi-remote farming area, and so we had to fill every job requirement between the two of us. From building the accommodation sites and yurts to plumbing, electricity, marketing and social media, website design, guest service and accounting – we did it all. As we have grown, we’ve been able to get more help along the way. It has been a journey, but after 4 years, we certainly feel that we are more comfortable and confident in what we do as business entrepreneurs and designers every day.

How did you prototype and design the Yurts? 

We just went straight into it! We designed our yurts by blending inspirations from the traditional Mongolian ger with maritime details from sailing boats – we then adapted that to a South African climate. We fashioned the first yurts from white gum (an alien hardwood to South Africa). This wood is dense and holds its form well after being steam bent. It is truly a pleasure to work with this wood, and we are grateful to have been able to use a more ethical solution to imported and endangered hardwoods. The outer shell was sewn up from a hemp material (Hemporium) and a South African-made canvas, by a fantastic local canvas seamster.

How do people book to stay at Southern Yurts and what can they expect?

Guests can book one of our yurt sites directly via our website or they can contact us via email and WhatsApp (see contact information). Inquiries for yurt orders can be sent directly to our email, where you will be sent a catalogue with more information on our custom-made yurt products.

Southern Yurts focuses on guest comfort and client satisfaction, so you can expect to enjoy an authentic experience that will hopefully have you booking your next visit before you check out. Guests can enjoy a number of activities at Southern Yurts, from soaking in one of our home-designed wood-fired hot tubs to exploring hiking trails, bird watching or paddling a kayak on the dam.

Tell us about the overall design concepts at Southern Yurts and the materials you use?

We like to design our yurt accommodation to suit the surrounding environment as much as possible. Most of our design decisions centred around three main questions: Does this space celebrate a view? Will someone feel protected from the elements, but still feel connected to the outdoors? Does this design work practically? These guidelines helped us to unify the experience between the cabin (kitchen and lounge) and the yurt. 

Most importantly of all, however, is the consideration of the environmental footprint of both the accommodation and the company. The Yurt Camp was built to be completely removable with no concrete foundations. Most of our sites are completely off-grid, and most of our furnishings are refurbished and upgraded. The yurts themselves have been designed and built with great consideration given to the materials and outsourced work. We always try to use locally made products where we can, and local expertise. We are both sailors and wanted to represent that in our design. The oiled hardwood, canvas, stainless steel cables and pop rivets all evoke a maritime sentiment that makes the yurts stand out from their tent counterparts.

Do you have plans for expanding?

Yes! We hope to be expanding our offering within the Diepklowe Private Nature Reserve, perhaps with a few more possibilities at other locations coming soon. We are always working on refining our current offering and continuously improving it as much as we can with new ideas, and the wonderful help of guest and client feedback.

What are some of the highlights of the Yurt accommodation?

The greatest highlight of all the yurt accommodations is the surroundings! Nature’s design is perfect and if we have succeeded in allowing our yurts to highlight and accentuate someone’s experience of this, then that feels like success!

Inside the yurt, the roof structure design is our favourite element – the wooden poles fanning out from the circular tono create a solar symbol that inspires one to consider the connection between the artist/builder/designer and the natural world. When you take the tono cap off, there is an open portal connecting you directly with the stars above. It’s quite magical!

Our hands-on approach to creating this offering has resulted in some very quirky and interesting designs that you won’t find elsewhere. We hope that the attention to detail in our accommodation sets it apart from other glamping sites – one of our camping yurts has a built-in camera obscura too!

Are there any obstacles that you had to overcome?

Other than the obstacle of introducing a new glamping accommodation design to the market, it was certainly the day-to-day trials of educating ourselves in areas of the new business expertise required, that presented the greatest challenges overall. We have learnt a great deal, not only about design, the accommodation industry and landcare but also about ourselves and our abilities.

For more information or to book a stay, visit southernyurts.co.za.

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