The masterplan and school buildings, designed by architects and engineers from Arup Associates and Ove Arup & Partners, combine local building techniques and materials with leading edge environmental design to make them effective in the extreme climate.

Residential blocks allow children from Ladakh's remote areas to attend, and a programme of sponsorship ensures that the poorest are not excluded.

It is managed by the Druk Pema Karpo Educational Society and financed with money raised internationally.

The school was featured in a 2007 episode of the PBS series Design e2,[1] Cisco Systems "Human Network" advertisement as well as the Aamir Khan movie 3 Idiots.

[2][3] The Bollywood star Aamir Khan made a special effort to lend a helping hand.