In the scorching heat of India’s Thar Desert, where summer temperatures can soar above 50 degrees Celsius, this architecturally striking school is an oasis of cool, combining age-old techniques with modern design.

The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School uses the same yellow sandstone as the 12th-century fort in nearby Jaisalmer, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. The city is also known as the ‘golden city’ because of the colour of the stone.

Like the fort, the school has thick rubble walls that help reflect heat, while the interior is plastered with lime, a porous material that regulates humidity and promotes natural cooling.

Unlike the old fort, the roof is covered with solar panels, which provide the school with its entire power supply in an area that experiences frequent power outages.

Temperatures inside the school, designed by American architect Diana Kellogg and built by local craftsmen (many of whom are parents of students), can be up to 20 percent lower than outside temperatures.

“I like going to school,” says eight-year-old Khushboo Kumari, one of the 170 students.

“The air feels like it’s coming from an air conditioner.”

The school’s classrooms are arranged around an open, elliptical courtyard, resembling a Roman coliseum. The walls with grilles of ventilation openings provide shade while allowing cooling air to flow.

Raised windows allow warm air to escape as it rises. Rainwater is collected from the flat roof.

In some places, there are holes in the walls, a technique known as ‘jali’, which was traditionally used to keep women out of sight in the conservative society.

At school it is used to promote ventilation, allowing a breeze to blow through the oval shape of the building.

“There is cross ventilation,” said school supervisor Rajinder Singh Bhati (29). “The white tiles on the terrace reflect the sunlight.”

“It’s completely environmentally friendly.”

– ‘Airy and cool’ –

India has seen its longest heat wave ever this year, government weather experts said.

Temperatures rose above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) and there are warnings that people will experience increasingly higher temperatures in the future.

Manohar Lal, 32, father of student Khushboo, said students were looking forward to the classes because of the relative coolness.

“In Rajasthan, power cuts are frequent and children suffer as temperatures in summer reach nearly 50 degrees Celsius,” Lal says outside his modest mud-and-brick house, which has no ceiling fan.

“But at the school you don’t have to worry about that because the school is powered by solar energy,” he added.

“It’s airy and cool there, and that’s why the children like going to school.”

– ‘Feels like heaven’ –

The school is supported by the American CITTA Education Foundation, which means that students can attend school for free in a state where the female literacy rate is around 52 percent.

Uniforms, school supplies and lunch are also provided for the students.

“It is very important that they get free quality education when they cannot even afford decent meals or clothes,” said 40-year-old Hindi teacher Priyanka Chhangani.

According to architect Kellogg, combining tradition with modern design and sustainable techniques was essential.

“Because the artisans were so familiar with the stone, we were able to combine traditional architectural details with details from the indigenous heritage, making the building feel authentic to the region,” she said.

Her oval design is inspired by “feminine symbols of strength,” she added.

But while her design focuses on combating the scorching heat, it also faces an unexpected problem linked to climate change: flooding.

Heavy rainfall often occurs from June to September during the annual monsoon, but experts say its frequency and intensity are increasing due to climate change.

The increased rainfall is having an impact on the school, which is designed for a drier climate.

This year a river that had not flowed for a long time flooded, washing away the land on one side of the school.

Rajan Rawal, a professor at India’s Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology, said the increasing intensity of rainfall was affecting buildings designed for different weather conditions.

“Disasters such as heat waves and floods affect structural stability,” Rawal said.

They also affect the thermal performance of the building, he added.

But teacher Chhangani said the school still changed the students’ lives.

“These kids don’t even have fans at home,” she said. “When they come to school, it feels like heaven to them.”

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