The Leviatan Design story began in 2012, offering integrated architectural and civil engineering services. Over time, the company has evolved to full-service design & build construction services. Designing with a passion for quality, Leviatan is based on the BIM method, high-performance technologies and software, and a solid team of specialists.
With 100% Romanian capital, Leviatan Design has distinguished itself on the local market by its impressive capacity to adapt, firmly bolstered by digitalization and automation of internal processes, as well as innovative working methods such as BIM and modern technologies, thus becoming promoters of construction technologization. Catalin Podaru, CEO & Founder of Leviatan Group, shares more about the challenges in the industry, digitalization, architectural myths, and the company’s key activities and services.
People tend to compare, to judge by what they already know. What is your company’s distinctive element?
Leviatan Design’s distinctive element is reflected in our commitment to innovation and sustainability. Our company develops complex construction projects based on BIM methodology and cutting-edge technologies.
Our specialists constantly develop innovative solutions for our projects and focus on efficiency through the automation and digitalization of internal processes, a fact that has been recognized even internationally since 2022, when the best practices adopted by our company in the digital transformation process were included in a study conducted by a leading European public policy research and analysis center – PPMI, which was published by the European Commission.
Moreover, our company emphasizes the continuous evolution of the team through extensive personal and professional development programs, while promoting diversity and inclusion to provide growth opportunities for all our employees.
Tell us, first of all, what are the main services in your portfolio and what distinguishes them from the competition?
If 12 years ago, when our company was founded, our activities included integrated architectural and civil engineering services, nowadays we offer complete Design & Build construction services, with a solid team of professionals equipped with the latest technologies. This ensures that the projects we undertake are of the highest quality and delivered quickly.
The technologies and best practices that we have adopted over the years have propelled our company to the top of the construction companies in Romania. In this context, we find it appropriate to mention that the use of the BIM methodology in the design stage gives us the possibility to detect and solve problems before they occur, which contributes to reducing the time for verification and coordination activities by up to 50%, resources and, implicitly, costs.
Integrating advanced technologies and digital tools into our workflow has allowed us to be efficient. While NavVis VLX 2 equipment helps our specialists scan elements of our projects 10 times faster than fixed scanners, VR and AR technologies allow them to see projects to be executed before the actual work begins. The Digital Twin also facilitates quality checks on site, and artificial intelligence speeds up the checklist process.
So, taking all these aspects into account, we can say that efficiency, safety and short project delivery time are the hallmarks of our services.
What are the main advantages clients get by choosing Leviatan services?
As mentioned earlier, by choosing our services, clients benefit from high-quality, quickly delivered projects that include innovative and sustainable solutions. Furthermore, the advanced use of the BIM methodology and the Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) platform offers significant advantages to the beneficiaries as well.
Our clients confirm that the use of BIM in project delivery generates a number of benefits, such as efficiency, superior quality and optimizations in planning and contracting, thus reducing the time and cost to complete projects. Also, through the ACC platform, our project beneficiaries can see every stage of their projects from concept to execution.
How has your activity evolved in 2023 and early 2024, and what are your forecasts for 2025 and beyond?
For our company, 2023 was a year of growth and consolidation of our position in the market, and 2024 continued to bring us further progress, marking a very good evolution of our company.
Compared to the previous year, 2024 represents for us a year of expansion and maturation of our strategic initiatives. In this context, we continued to implement and develop projects integrating sustainable solutions and modern technologies, increased our efficiency and completed works on schedule. Also, by overcoming a number of challenges, we were able this year to capitalize on a number of opportunities that allowed us to maintain our competitiveness. Our achievements in the first half of this year reflect strategic growth, both in the expansion of our project portfolio and in the strengthening and growth of our team.
The projects included in our portfolio will provide us with a working front until 2025, and considering the progress our company has made in the last four years, the outlook for the coming period is certainly bright.
What are the biggest challenges you are currently facing in the Romanian building materials market?
For us, the biggest challenge is the choice of quality and sustainable materials for the projects we have in the pipeline, so that we meet the highest demands of our projects’ beneficiaries, despite the fact that the building materials market continues to be quite dynamic and unpredictable.
Are you investing in digitalization of services? Can you give us some examples of digital technologies deployed and how they improve customer experience?
In an ever-changing construction landscape, our services have an important digitization component, and technologies such as Mixed Reality and Digital Twin enhance our customers’ experience. While Mixed Reality technology provides our clients with an immersive experience where they can see projects in detail before they are put into operation, the Digital Twin model is an opportunity for our project beneficiaries to maximize the use of Facility Management software. 
Electronic signature of technical documentation at the design stage opens a new stage in the digitalization of our services. This innovative solution developed by our group of companies together with certSIGN, market leader of digital certificates in Romania, allows the electronic signature of technical documentation with qualified signature, in compliance with OUG 140/2020, as well as easy access to the original documents by all actors involved in the projects, in the BIM collaborative platform, from a phone, tablet or PC.
The solution can revolutionize the construction industry by increasing the efficiency and security of technical documentation and has an important sustainability component, considering the large amount of paper that could be reduced in construction projects.
What are the most significant advantages of using BIM in architectural projects?
For us, BIM means easier, faster, fairer. By implementing BIM in all of our work processes, we have been able to increase the quality of all the projects we have underway and reduce project turnaround times. Our specialists also use BIM to explore creative solutions, test different scenarios and ensure that each project lives up to their and their clients’ expectations. Furthermore, BIM facilitates communication and collaboration between the different teams involved in the project, from architects and engineers to suppliers and clients.
Can you tell us about the latest trends in architecture? Do you notice new preferences in client requirements or new projects?
In 2024, architecture trends focus on sustainability, technological innovation and adaptable design. Clients are increasingly interested in zero-emission buildings and spaces that emphasize wellbeing, energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. Modular construction and reuse of existing spaces are also becoming increasingly popular, reflecting a flexible and sustainable approach to urban design. Technologies such as VR, AR and artificial intelligence are being integrated into planning and execution processes, redefining standards of efficiency and collaboration.
How important is it for a team of architects and engineers to understand the context around a building – the street, the neighborhood, the city?
For a team of architects and engineers, understanding the context surrounding a building is essential, as it allows the generation of appropriate architectural and engineering solutions that enhance the urban space while respecting local specificities and community values.
In the context of current trends, where sustainability and adaptable design occupy an important space, the harmonious integration of buildings in the urban environment becomes a necessity. This holistic approach contributes to the creation of a responsible and resilient built environment, reflecting both innovation and respect for place identity.
Can you share with us a project you are particularly proud of and explain why it has special significance?
We are extremely proud of the project realized by our specialists at Câmpia Turzii, one of the most important defense projects in Romania. Within this project, our team has designed a series of buildings with a total area of about 100,000 square meters, as well as roads, taxiways and aprons covering a total area of about 500,000 square meters, in order to develop the airport infrastructure for the F16 multi-role airplane.
Considering the strategic importance of this project, its complexity, but also the high level of quality achieved by our specialists in this project, we can say with certainty that it is a source of pride for us.
In Vancouver, Portland and Barcelona, plans are increasingly being adopted to revive the polycentric city model to cope with climate change. What’s more, one study shows that botanic gardens have a greater cooling effect than parks. What strategies do you think should be adopted in the design of Romania’s rapidly expanding cities to meet both architectural requirements and climate change?
Romania needs to implement effective strategies in terms of urban agglomeration and combating climate change, and the implementation of the “15-Minutes City” concept could be the solution to overcome these challenges.
This urban model is based on four principles: ecology, proximity, solidarity and participation, and its implementation would allow residents to access essential services in just 15 minutes, reducing dependence on car transportation and thus carbon emissions.
Are there any plans to expand the range of services offered by your company?
Our focus is primarily on making our services more efficient, through technologization, automation and digitalization, so that we can deliver quality projects in the shortest possible time.
The focus on continuous improvement helps us to deliver sustainable and innovative solutions to our customers, while preparing us for further expansion of our service area as we strengthen our market position.
Architecture is considered to be both an art and a science, or rather the communion of the two. In this sense, do you think there is in the consciousness of architects, given the factors that define the world today, this thought of creating for posterity?
We believe that modern architecture increasingly reflects an awareness of creation for posterity. Today’s architects, influenced by the global challenges of climate change, are blending art and science to create buildings that are sustainable, functional and aesthetically pleasing. They design with long-term impact in mind, not just immediate utility, ensuring that their work remains relevant and valuable for future generations. This vision helps to create an architectural heritage that stands the test of time and inspires the future.
From your perspective, what should Romania look like, and how does the real one look? What measures should be taken, perhaps infrastructural or architectural, to bring the two images closer together?
From my perspective, Romania should bring out its citizens’ potential and offer them easy access to quality health care, education, regardless of the community they belong to, and modern road and rail infrastructure interconnecting all regions of the country. In an ideal scenario, Romania emphasizes sustainable development. It creates real opportunities for stimulating the business environment, ensuring stability and predictability for private companies and security for all its citizens by continuing the Euro-Atlantic path and investments in defense.
Romania is currently facing significant domestic and international challenges and unique opportunities to develop numerous large-scale projects in a relatively short time, thanks to European funds, including those from the NRRP.
If Romania is to come closer to the ideal described above, rigorous and well-coordinated infrastructure modernization planning is needed. From an architectural point of view, urban regeneration through the consolidation and rehabilitation of buildings and the development of new green public spaces are necessary to create an attractive, safe and sustainable urban environment. New architectural designs should also integrate energy efficiency and sustainability principles.
For the end I saved a curiosity, what are the top 3 myths we encounter most often in architecture?
One of the biggest myths is that architecture is a predominantly male-dominated field. We have been able to debunk this myth through an inclusive approach and by promoting gender diversity within our company, so that our team is 53% female, with an impressive 60% in top and middle management positions.
Another myth in this field is that architecture is only about the visual aspect of buildings. In fact, architecture involves a complex and multidisciplinary approach, in which architects have to take into account many functional, structural, sustainable and social factors in each project.
Last but not least, a common myth is that architects are only in the business of designing new buildings. In reality, architects are also involved in projects that involve adapting or modifying existing buildings to give a new meaning to the constructions or to increase their lifespan. In this context, we can mention our seismic risk building strengthening projects in Bucharest, where our team of architects develops architectural proposals based on strengthening solutions prepared by our structural engineers. The projects are of major importance for Bucharest and contribute to the revitalization of the historic areas of the city, increasing the safety of users and restoring the aesthetic character of the area.
Interview published in the TOP 100 Most Powerful Architecture Firms magazine, 2024 edition, printed by the IBC Focus agency.
