Privacy in a yurt

[klhandler]

Last question of the day- how would one maintain privacy in a yurt? For example, can other yurt inhabitants hear the "goings on" of the bathroom? Has any couple ever shared a yurt with children? How did that go? Your experience is greatly appreciated. My husband and I have one daughter, so as much as I love the yurt idea, I want to be sure no one is invading anyone else's personal space. I understand Mongolians have lived like this for centuries, but I've grown up in the American dream of big rooms and giant mortgages. While I am looking to simplify, I'd like to be realistic, lest the joy of the journey be ruined by real life let-down. I feel many posters are single people, living the dream.
Input from families would be much appreciated.

 

[Jafo]

Unless you frame out rooms inside the yurt, you hear everything outside the yurt. Just imagine what you hear outside of a regular tent. It is about the same.

 

[Bob Rowlands]

I also have a yurt. The slightest noise is transmitted through a cloth wall.

My gut tells me that due to that, traditional nomadic tent dwellers likely have a different sensibility when it comes to matters that many of us here in the U.S. consider private.

As a secondary comment, my mom and dad lived in Japan for seven year during the occupation immediately after WWII. In fact I was born in Tokyo. Mom told me the Japanese would do their business in plain sight of others alongside the road. Women would just squat and their dress would provide some modesty.

Standard 2x partition walls in your yurt will reduce noise transmission from activities inside the bath and bedroom.

 

[ineffableone]

I understand Mongolians have lived like this for centuries

Part of what allows the Mongolians to live this way is a strict system of organizing the ger into sections for specific tasks and even specific places places for men, women, children, guests. Also remember their ger were not as big typically as the modern yurts we use. They would also take advantage of the giant space they had outdoors. Inside was small but they had horizon to horizon to live outside if they felt they needed alone time or more space.

Now I would not expect you to live the way a tribal nomadic people do, you have not built up the culture to live that way. Your best bet would be to add smaller satellite yurts to a larger central yurt if privacy is an issue. Many people use a smaller yurt as a bathroom space for that very reason. Ore you could go further and make multi rooms of a central yurt and make some bedrooms.

The other option would be to build interior walls with good sound proofing. Or a combo of multi yurts and walls with sound proofing.

 

[klhandler]

Thanks Bob! I appreciate your thoughtful feedback. That's amazing that the Japanese lived like that. I love hearing about different cultures ways of living and feel we can learn a lot from them.
Ineffable one, thanks for that diagram. I've only seen very traditional Western floor plans. I love this floor plan because it lays out the traditional nomad plan for living in a yurt. We keep adapting the yurt to fit our western lifestyle, so fascinating to see it laid out as intended.
I realize we are one of the most "conservative" society when it comes to privacy so we will see how that plays out!
I appreciate the comments from the seasoned veterans.