In the middle of the Indian desert, a school like an oasis of freshness

Near the so-called "golden city" of Jaisalmer in the western state of Rajasthan, the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls' School, designed by American architect Diana Kellogg, was built with the same yellow sandstone.

Like the Jaisalmer Fort, the school has thick walls that absorb heat and have been coated on the inside with lime, a porous material that regulates humidity and naturally cools the rooms.

Unlike the 12th-century fort, the school's roof is covered with solar panels, which supply it with electricity and protect it from the power cuts that are particularly frequent in the region.

The thermostat inside the school displays temperatures 20% lower than those outside.

"It feels like the air is coming from an air conditioner," said eight-year-old Khushboo Kumari, one of 170 students at the unusual school.

With its elliptical structure, the school looks like a Roman Coliseum.

In places, its walls are perforated, a technique known as "jali," which once allowed women to look outside without being seen. Within the school grounds, this technique promotes air circulation.

"There is cross ventilation," says Rajinder Singh Bhati, 29, a supervisor.

"The white tiles on the terrace reflect the sunlight," he adds. High windows also allow the hot air to escape as it rises. Rainwater that falls on the roof is collected.

“Everything is eco-friendly,” Rajinder Singh Bhati emphasizes.

"Heaven"

The school is funded by an American foundation. Its students receive completely free education, even though 52% of women in this Indian state are illiterate.

They are provided with uniforms, school supplies and meals.

“It’s great that they are getting quality education for free, as they cannot even afford to feed themselves or dress properly,” says Priyanka Chhangani, 40, a Hindi teacher.

“These children don’t even have a fan at home,” she says. “When they come to school, they feel like they’re in heaven.”

The school is "airy and cool, and that's why the children love going there so much," says Khushboo's father, Manohar Lal, 32, outside his modest mud and brick house with no fan.

For architect Diana Kellogg, it was essential to combine traditional and sustainable techniques in this project.

“Because the craftsmen were familiar with stone, we were able to incorporate traditional architectural details and local heritage elements, so that the structure blends into the landscape of the region,” she notes.

Climate change

With summer temperatures already exceeding 50°C in the region, experts say heatwaves will become more extreme due to climate change.

And in addition to the heat waves, there are now floods in this region which was rather protected from them.

The intensity and frequency of India's annual monsoon rains -- from June to September -- are being enhanced by climate change, scientists say.

The rains are having an impact on the Rajkumari Ratnavati school, which was designed for a drier climate. This year, for example, a river overflowed and tore away part of the school's floor.

Rainfall thus impacts buildings that were designed for other weather conditions, says Rajan Rawal, a professor at India's Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology.

"Disasters such as heat waves or floods" for example affect the thermal performance of the building, he adds.

India has experienced its longest heatwave in recorded history this year, according to the country's authorities.