Success story

One success story that Anne worked on in India was at Garli in HP. It is a tiny village of 3000 inhabitants nestling in the Kangra valley about 450 kms from Delhi. "We were asked by the Friends of Garli to work on their village. Before starting our work, we first talked and listened to the local people. People have many ideas and we feel it is important to listen and then translate them into action on ground. Sustainable development is what we need to look at as it comes from the people. Friends of Garli have set up a committee with younger people as members to look into sustainable development of their village," he informs.

Garli today stands as an example of which Feenstra is proud. It is a heritage village in Kangra valley, Himachal Pradesh. Thanks to the efforts of the society, Friends of Garli, and Arch i, a Delhi-based non-profit architecture group of which Anne is an integral part, Garli today has got its due recognition.

The overwhelming variety of buildings stuns the viewer at first glance, says Feenstra, adding, "What is even more striking is the sheer density of buildings worth seeing. The styles of architecture vary from colonial, Kangra, Islamic and even Rajput or Portuguese!" Feenstra is proud to have been associated with the restoration of this village and to present it to rest of India as an example. "The need of the hour is to increase consciousness about built environment. Effort should be to use local building material. With local material and contemporary architecture we can do amazing things," concludes Feenstra.