How this Indian desert school stays cool even in extreme heat

In Jaisalmer, a desert city in northern India also known as “the golden city” for its yellow sandstone architecture, temperatures can reach around 49 degrees Celsius in midsummer.

Here, buildings have long been designed to adapt to the heat. A tradition that New York architect Diana Kellogg preserved with her work on the Rajkumari Ratnavati School for Girls.

The project, which aims to empower women and girls through education in a region where the female literacy rate is the lowest in India, was commissioned by CITTA, a U.S. nonprofit organization that provides economic and educational support to women in remote and marginalized communities. It is the first step in a three-part architectural project that will also include a women’s cooperative center and exhibition space.

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Named “Building of the Year” in 2020 by Architectural Digest India, the sandstone eco-school opened in November 2021 and 120 girls are currently enrolled in its curriculum, according to Kellogg.

Natural cooling.

Designing a comfortable learning space can be a challenge in the heart of the Thar Desert, where climate change is making dry spells longer and more intense. Kellogg, who often designs high-end residential projects, was motivated by a trip to Jaisalmer in 2014, and wanted the building to symbolize the hope and resilience of the desert by fusing aspects of traditional Jaisalmer architecture with modern design.

“There are methods of refreshing spaces that have been used for centuries. What I did was put them together in a combination that worked,” Kellogg said, adding that the school’s indoor temperatures are approximately 11 to 16.5 °C lower than outside.

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For the structure, Kellogg chose to use locally sourced sandstone, a weather-resistant material that has long been used in buildings in the area, including the fort in Jaisalmer, a part of the city that is home to a quarter of its population and a Unesco World Heritage Site.

“It is very plentiful in this area. It’s very reasonable (in price) and the very talented stonemasons work magic with the stone,” Kellogg said. “It really keeps the heat in and also keeps it cool at night.”

Among the traditional techniques Kellogg incorporated into the design was lining the interior walls with lime plaster, a porous, natural material that cools and helps release trapped moisture.

Drawing inspiration from other buildings in the region, he also installed a jali wall, a sandstone grid that allows wind to accelerate in a phenomenon called the “venturi effect,” cooling the courtyard space while sheltering it from the sun. High ceilings and windows release rising heat into the classrooms, while a canopy of solar panels provides shade and energy.

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The structure, tilted in relation to the prevailing winds, has an elliptical shape, chosen for its ability to capture and circulate fresh air, but also for its symbolic connotations of femininity, which match the spirit of the project. Kellogg calls it “a big, tight hug.”

Comfort in sustainability

While many of the heat-fighting techniques used at the school could in principle be applied elsewhere, their effectiveness and sustainability would vary from site to site, Kellogg admits. Particular wind directions and different sandstones would regulate temperatures differently than the materials found and used in Jaisalmer, for example.

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Air conditioning is not used anywhere in the building, not only because of its environmental impact but also because it is not common in the area. By adopting, instead, traditional and natural cooling mechanisms with which the students are familiar, he believes they can gain a sense of comfort from their surroundings, leading to greater confidence.

Source: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/11/07/escuela-desierto-india-fresca-calor-extremo-trax