Upworthy · 34 days ago

A New School for Girls in India Stays Cool in 120 Degree Desert Heat Without Air Conditioning

In a remote corner of Rajasthan where few girls could read and marriage seemed the only option, architect Diana Kellogg designed a school that becomes a sanctuary from 120-degree desert heat without any air conditioning. Using ancient techniques like lime plaster walls, jali grids that accelerate breezes, and the elliptical shape of the golden sandstone building itself, she created spaces that stay 20-30 degrees cooler than outside while running entirely on solar and wind power. The design speaks in the visual language girls already know, ensuring they feel "free and comfortable" rather than intimidated by their chance at education. What began as one building now promises to expand into a women's cooperative and marketplace, proving that creative engineering can bring learning to even the most overlooked places. Kellogg has watched the students transform "from being quite shy to being these bright lights that are devouring whatever kind of information you put in front of them."