An Architectural Oasis in the Thar: The Sustainable Story of Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School
Rising from the golden expanse of Rajasthan’s Thar Desert near Jaisalmer, the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School is more than just a space for education—it’s a beacon of empowerment, sustainability, and culturally rooted design. Conceived by Diana Kellogg Architects and commissioned by the CITTA Foundation, the school is designed to withstand a brutal climate that swings from a scorching 50°C in summer to a chilly 9°C in winter. Here, architecture becomes a quiet but powerful form of resistance—against gender inequality, environmental disregard, and the erosion of traditional knowledge.
Designing Strength: The Elliptical Form
At the core of the school is its elliptical layout, inspired by the ancient forts of Jaisalmer and the fluidity of sand dunes. For architect Diana Kellogg, the oval symbolised both continuity and feminine energy. This shape isn’t just symbolic; it aids thermal comfort by allowing winds to glide around its curved walls, minimising heat buildup.
The building revolves around a central courtyard—a traditional Rajasthani spatial element that fosters social interaction, cross-ventilation, and community. While the 48 m x 29 m courtyard currently lacks a canopy due to budget limitations, it is designed for shade play, seating, and airflow. Future iterations may introduce overhead shading to reduce solar exposure.
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Built for the Desert: Sustainable Systems at Work
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1. Material Wisdom: Hand-Cut Sandstone
Locally quarried yellow sandstone not only lends a golden glow to the campus but also performs thermally. Thick walls made of this stone absorb the day’s heat and radiate it at night, keeping interiors consistently cooler. Lime-plastered interiors allow the walls to breathe and assist in humidity control, echoing age-old desert construction wisdom.
2. Dual-Role Solar Panels
Solar panels line the school’s roof, doubling as shading devices and power generators. These panels ensure energy independence while reducing direct heat gain, an elegant solution in a region vulnerable to power cuts and harsh sun.
3. Ground-Cooled Comfort
Employing a geothermal cooling system, the school uses the earth’s stable underground temperatures and cool nighttime air to passively regulate indoor climates. The system mirrors traditional Rajasthani methods, where thick materials and intelligent layouts made desert living bearable without electricity.
4. Jalis: Function Meets Poetry
Traditional jalis—stone lattice screens—filter sunlight, allow ventilation, and add a layer of ornamentation. These perforated screens reduce glare and heat while creating mesmerising patterns on the floor, walls, and faces of students as the sun shifts throughout the day.
Rain in the Desert: Water Conservation
In a landscape where water scarcity is constant, the design smartly captures and stores rainwater. The courtyard is sloped to direct rain into an underground cistern with a capacity of 350,000 litres. Carefully designed channels ensure every drop is harvested and reused, contributing to the school’s sustainability mission.
Cool Comfort: Architecture as Climate Control
Thick sandstone walls, an elliptical layout, jalis, and shaded walkways work together to regulate internal temperatures. The school maintains indoor temperatures significantly lower than the outside—up to 20% cooler, by some estimates. This natural comfort is central to its success as a learning environment. Some critiques have highlighted the courtyard’s openness, especially during peak heat hours, but plans for a shading canopy remain part of future upgrades.
A Tapestry of Light and Culture
This school doesn’t just fight the desert heat—it celebrates it. With deep overhangs, carved textures, and light-and-shadow play, the school feels alive throughout the day. Light becomes part of the learning experience, shifting and dancing across sandstone surfaces, creating a calm and inspiring atmosphere.
Beyond Education: A Social Ecosystem
Situated in Kanoi village, a short drive from the Sam Sand Dunes, the school is accessible to girls from nearby villages. It currently serves 400 students from kindergarten through tenth grade. The donated land, quiet desert surroundings, and plans for a women’s cooperative and textile museum under the Gyaan Centre make it a cultural and economic hub—supporting not just students, but entire communities.
Craft and Care: Material Choices Every element of the school speaks to local identity. Yellow sandstone, Jodhpur stone transoms, lime plaster, and charpai-inspired wooden benches made by local artisans create a tactile, authentic space. Led by master craftsman Kareem Khan, the construction process honoured and preserved traditional building methods.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite its success, the school faces ongoing challenges. Monsoon flooding has impacted parts of the structure, and solar shading in the courtyard remains a future goal. These hurdles underline the importance of adaptive design, especially in the context of climate unpredictability. Yet, the school continues to evolve, reflecting architect Kellogg’s belief in architecture as a “process of seeking”.
A Desert Dream, Realised
The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School is not just a piece of architecture—it’s a story etched in stone, sand, and sunlight. It’s where education meets empowerment, where traditional craft meets innovation, and where the future is being shaped in the hands of young girls under the shade of sustainability.
This elliptical fortress doesn’t just survive the desert—it thrives in it. From geothermal cooling and hand-carved jalis to rainwater harvesting and solar power, every design choice whispers a promise: that thoughtful architecture can transform communities, restore dignity, and rewrite futures.
As the sun sets over the golden dunes, the sandstone walls come alive with shadows and laughter. And in this quiet corner of Rajasthan, change is being built—one stone, one student, one story at a time.
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Copyright © 2025 [Ar. Pallavi Vasekar]
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