VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL

UNIVERSITY
EAST WEST INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
BANGALORE -560091
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

A TECHNICAL SEMINAR PRESENTATION ON

"The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl’s School: Symbol of Empowerment

Amid the Thar"
PRESENTED BY

Vivek Mehta (1EW19CV067)

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

Prof. Vijay Kumar D

 Contents
1. Introduction
2. Design of Rajkumari ratnavati girls school
• Design and Material Used to Create the Architectural
Marvel
• Key Highlights of the Rani Ratnavati Girl's School
3. Challenges Faced
4. Gyaan Centre
5. Conclusion
 Introduction
• Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School is a girl's school in the rural thar
desert of Jaisalmer in northern India. The school is unique in that the
architects designed it in the shape of an oval that can withstand
temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius.
• The school can accommodate 400 girls from kindergarten to tenth
grade. The school is aimed to provide education and training in
traditional skill sets such as artistry, weaving, embroidery for women.
Local craftsmen built the school out of hand-cut local sandstone.
Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School is designed by a New York based
company Diana Kellogg Architects.
Design of Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School
• Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School is located in the rural
region surrounding Jaisalmer, near the hamlet of Kanoi. Its
architecture is unique and distinctive, featuring an oval-
shaped building amidst the desert landscape.
• The elliptical shaped structure, angled towards the prevailing
winds, is designed to effectively circulate cool air and
symbolizes femininity, aligning with the project's ethos.
Kellogg, the designer and architect of the school, refers to it
as "a big, tight hug. Oval geometry of the school symbolizes
the strength of women.
 Material Used to Create the Architectural
Marvel
• Kellogg employed traditional methods in the design of the
structure, one of which was the application of lime plaster on
the interior walls. Lime plaster is a natural, porous material
that has a cooling effect.
• Additionally, she incorporated a jali wall into the design,
which is a sandstone grid that promotes acceleration of wind
through the Venturi effect.
• The school is made of local yellow sandstone that was
handcrafted by local artisans. The building is designed in a
way that it does not require the use of air conditioning.
 Building
• The school is one of three buildings in the complex
known as the "Gyaan Centre."
• The Medha Hall-The Medha Hall is an area designated
for a library and a museum, and a space for
performances and art exhibitions for local crafts such
as textiles. The women could learn local weaving and
embroidery techniques.
• The courtyard has a Rainwater Harvesting facility.
 Key Highlights of the Rani Ratnavati Girl's
School
•The Blue Mosaic Floor and Parapets
•Impressive Trio of Oval Elements
•Perforated Inner Walls to Shade the Courtyard
•Classrooms with Clerestory Openings
•Elevated Walkways with Perforated Walls
•Recessed Circular Spaces within Walls
•Solar Panel to Supply Power
•Diyas at Main Entry
 Awards

The school was awarded the AD100 – an

annual survey of the best names in design
by Architectural Digest.
 Conclusion
▪ Built by local craftspeople using local materials and techniques, the
building is a model of both sustainability and community development. In
a region where female literacy barely touches 36 percent, over 400
girls, who live below the poverty line, attend the school, from
kindergarten to secondary school.
▪ As part of the GYAAN Center, which will also include two additional
buildings by Kellogg, —a performance and art exhibition space, and an
education facility where local artisans will teach mothers and other women
weaving and embroidery techniques from the region — the school not only
raises the bar for women’s education in Jaisalmer but also raises awareness
surrounding the issues faced by women in India on a global scale.
Thank You