The igloo and the yurt, two similar structures yet very different. Both as a representation of man’s creation of shelter. However, there are a few differences between them like the materials use to build them, the location where they are placed, and its purpose.
The igloo as said by Dan Cruickshank “the domed house of snow and ice” is a house built with snow originated in Canada and Greenland. Mostly shaped as an egg with an entrance tunnel. It is made of big blocks of snow stacked one In the top of each other and going up on a slope. The snow used to build an igloo must be dense and have the strength to be cut and shaped. the snow insulating properties helps keep the inside warm with the help of human body heat and the lamps use to light up the place. Also, in the inside, the floor is slightly excavated in one side because warmer air rises and cooler air settles down. After the igloo is built the warmer temperatures of the inside melt the inside surface of the walls and at night it freezes again helping seal the joints between the blocks. Igloos are often built for temporary shelter especially during hunting trips, but still manage to be very comfortable shelters.
The yurt is a traditional shelter originated in central Asia. Is a portable tent shape in a round way similar to a dome but open in the center, which is referred as a crown. Its walls are often made of pieces of wood or bamboo and cover by a felt and canvases. The crown, described as a hole in the roof is designed so that the warm air escapes while the cold air refreshes the bottom. Yurts are designed to be taken apart and carry around for future settlement. Yurts are build in hot weather places and can be built for small or big groups of people. However, they can be found in other parts of the world with different features made to adapt to different climates.
Both the igloo and yurt share may similarities mostly in its structure and concept of building, still both managed to be strong structures that show some of the first concepts of architecture made by man.
