Located in the Thar Desert in the north of India, the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School was built to educate over 400 girls between the ages of five and sixteen.
Diana Kellogg Architects explained that the studio looked to symbols of femininity and the nearby sand-dunes to create a fort-like structure that would blend into and grow out of the landscape.
Built using locally sourced hand-carved sandstone, the 836-square-metre fort-like structure comprises three circular elements.
These consist of a large exterior wall that wraps around the perimeter of the school, an interior wall that encloses and surrounds the classrooms, as well as an oval courtyard.
Sections of the stone walls have been perforated to cool the space down and shade it from the sun.
Wooden doors lead from the courtyard through to a computer centre and a collection of 10 classrooms that are linked by a series of winding corridors.
Clerestory openings in the classrooms create a dappled light effect throughout the day and allow for natural ventilation.
A ramp between the perforated walls forms a shaded corridor that leads up an elevated walkway to the roof.
Also a blue tiled-mosaic floor stretches across the walkway, adding a bright and cool contrast against the yellow stone.
Source: James Parkes
