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A school amid a hot Indian desert in Rajasthan with no need for Air conditioning, how is the situation there? Ever imagined? It is outstanding. Yes! the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School, Jaisalmer is one of its kind and surely an epitome of wise architecture.
The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School is an oval building created completely of locally carved sandstone by regional artisans. It is located in Salkha, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan in the heart of the Thar Desert. This outstanding educational facility not only offers girls a top-notch education but also has a unique architectural style that distinguishes it from other school structures.
The project was commissioned by CITTA, a US non-profit organization that offers economic and educational support to women in rural and marginalized communities, with the goal of empowering women and girls through education in a region of India where the female literacy rate is the lowest.
In reality, the building is a school that was created by New York-based Diana Kellogg Architects at the request of the US NGO CITTA. This building's unusual oval shape, which not only adds to its visual attractiveness but also helps it stay cool without the use of air conditioning, is one of its most remarkable features.
The Unique Architecture of Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School
The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School is well renowned for its unique design, which combines customary Rajasthani components with contemporary design ideas. The building's oval shape, which deviates from the traditional rectangular or square layouts found in most educational institutions, is its most distinctive feature. This unusual form not only draws attention to itself, but it also has practical uses besides serving as a unique tourist destination.
Utilizing locally produced materials lowers carbon emissions. The school also has a solar panel canopy on the roof that functions as a cooling system when temperatures reach close to 120 degrees, allowing the children to study and even play in the sheltered courtyard without worrying about the intense heat. The complex's courtyard has a 3.5 lakh litre water storage capacity.
The GYAAN Centre complex, which consists of three buildings, starts with the school. The Medha, a textile museum and performance venue as well as a marketplace for local artists, is another building in the complex. The complex's third structure is a women's cooperative where regional weavers and embroiderers will instruct mothers of the girl students and other local women in weaving and embroidery methods.
The Cooling Techniques
The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School uses traditional cooling methods, which is one of the main reasons it stays cool amid Rajasthan's oppressive desert heat. The architects have included a number of clever techniques to maintain a comfortable internal environment rather than relying on energy-intensive air conditioning systems.
Regarding the design of the school locally sourced sandstone, a climatically resilient building material that has been utilised for decades in the region, including the Jaisalmer Fort (UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses one-fourth of the city's population, was used for the construction.
The building's oval form is extremely important in fostering natural ventilation. The smooth airflow made possible by the curved walls allows for efficient cross-ventilation throughout the building. This airflow is further enhanced by the strategically positioned windows throughout the building, enabling a continuous interchange of fresh air. As a result, even during the hottest times of the year, the interior rooms are maintained cool and well-ventilated.
Do you know?
- Designer Sabyasachi created the school uniforms to highlight the artistic heritage of Jaisalmer.
- The structure was conceptualized and constructed by Michael Daube, the founder of the nonprofit CITTA, over the course of more than ten years
- Over 400 girls who live in the distant Thar Desert region's below-poverty population are the students of the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls' School
- These girls receive their education from kindergarten through class 10 at the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School.
- Rajkumari Ratnawati, after whom the school is named was a princess of Jaisalmer & the daughter of King Maharawal Ratan Singh, is renowned as a courageous young woman who, in the absence of her father, defeated the plans of enemies with her wit and sharp thinking.
