How an oval school in the Thar desert empowers young girls

An oval building made of sandstone stands amid the Thar desert near the city of Jaisalmer, India. The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl’s School blends so well with the landscape that it almost seems to be emerging from the dunes. This, of course, is by design.

Renowned architect Diana Kellogg and her New York-based studio ensured that they honor the local cultural and building traditions, while also introducing modern elements to the school. Almost entirely, the studio worked with locally sourced materials and incorporated traditional building practices. Ancient rain harvesting techniques ensure the water supply in the building, while electricity is sourced entirely from solar power. The school relies on natural cooling, which Kellogg says has significantly reduced temperatures in the building.

To her, female empowerment through education and play stands at the centre of her practice. Those values informed her work on all levels, from researching and applying the symbolism of the elliptical shape, to the incorporation of jali walls and modesty screens where the girls can play.