Architecture, technology, and people are no longer three distinct chapters, but a single discourse that Leviathan has transformed into a working paradigm.
2024 was the year in which this vision was fully validated through key projects for military and medical infrastructure, extensive seismic reinforcement programs, and internally developed platforms, CIM and AIM.
Throughout this process, however, Cătălin Podaru does not lose sight of the essential: technology can offer speed and precision, but it is people who provide direction, meaning, and coherence. That is why this interview is not just an overview of a spectacular year, but a statement about how to build, in Romania, an architecture that goes beyond walls and blueprints to become a proper mechanism of national resilience.
How did LEVIATAN evolve in the 2024 financial year? What were the main milestones and achievements that strengthened your position in the Romanian architecture market?
In 2024, Leviatan Design recorded remarkable growth, becoming the leader of the Romanian architecture market by completing several projects with strategic impact and increasing its turnover by 34% year over year.
Among the key milestones of the past year were the completion and delivery of military and healthcare infrastructure projects essential to Romania’s development, as well as active involvement in strengthening the capital’s earthquake-resistant building stock.
In parallel with the development of large-scale projects, 2024 was a year in which Leviatan Design took essential steps in strengthening the digital ecosystem, designed to support complex processes. Thus, the company identified significant opportunities in the interconnection and automation of data flows, which it translated into strategic directions to improve operational performance.
A few years after implementing the BIM standard, Leviatan continued to develop its own CIM (Construction Information Management) platform that integrates essential workflows across the team. In addition, the company has moved towards a new organizational paradigm, called AIM (Artificial Intelligence Management), which facilitates the intelligent use of data and AI tools across its activities, with a direct impact on team efficiency.
This strategic focus on digitalization and innovation, coupled with a solid portfolio of projects for Romania’s essential infrastructure, has decisively established Leviatan Design as a leader in the Romanian architecture market.
How did you manage the balance between investing in technology and optimizing operating costs in 2024 to maximize profitability without compromising project quality?
We view investments in technology not as an additional expense, but as a necessary means of supporting efficiency and quality in parallel. All the solutions we have developed have enabled us to reduce errors in the design process and deliver high-quality projects quickly.
Implementing tools such as Microsoft Copilot has helped us optimize internal processes, freeing up time for activities with strategic value. We have not compromised on quality because technology, when applied intelligently, becomes a form of saving rather than waste.
How would you assess the openness and maturity of the local market in adopting advanced technologies, such as BIM, drones, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, for architectural projects? What are the main cultural or technical barriers you encounter?
The adoption of advanced technologies in architecture—from BIM to drones, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence—is no longer a promise, but a clear direction.
The appetite for innovation is particularly evident among companies operating at scale or in areas with high precision and sustainability requirements. Technology provides the essential tools for achieving consistency, predictability, and added value in design.
However, market maturity remains uneven. While openness is evident at the level of intention, barriers still exist at the level of implementation. Many organizations continue to have a conservative mindset, a reliance on traditional methods, and a lack of training resources. In addition, the absence of clear national technical standards hinders the coherent integration of technology into the professional workflow.
Therefore, we are talking about a market in transition: open, aware, and increasingly digitally oriented, but still in need of institutional support, continuous training, and a change in mindset so that these technologies do not remain the preserve of pioneers but become the standard for the profession.
How do you redefine competitiveness in an architecture industry where the boundaries between design, technology, and consulting are increasingly blurred? What is your “secret” to staying relevant in this convergence?
In our case, competitiveness means recognising that design and technology intertwine naturally and organically as two inseparable components of a single creative and strategic process.
Our “secret” lies precisely in this organic approach to projects: the permanent integration of technological innovation into the creative process, so that our solutions are not only spectacular, but also deeply functional, relevant, and constantly adapted to the needs of people and communities.
However, none of this would be possible without constantly investing in people, because they are at the heart of everything we do. At Leviatan Design, we offer our team members an environment where they can continuously evolve, guided by our values. Innovation motivates us to find new and practical solutions continually, and camaraderie enables us to work together with trust, support, and mutual respect, creating the conditions for exceptional results in an ever-changing industry.
How do you ensure that the strategic decisions made today will make the company resilient to rapid changes in the industry in the medium and long term? Do you have an internal system for future-proofing the business?
We ensure that the strategic decisions made today are compatible with the future by using a development model that not only anticipates change but also actively integrates it into the company’s structure. A concrete example is our development roadmap, which was created together with the Research & Development teams of our group of companies and beyond, to integrate artificial intelligence at the enterprise level and transform AI from a simple conversational system into an elite assistant for everyday activities.
Instead of reacting to change, we prefer to shape it: we automate processes and optimize working hours from days to hours, allowing people to focus on activities of high strategic value. This approach gives us agility in the present and the ability to navigate confidently toward an unpredictable future.
Our “future-proofing” system means not only investing in technology, but also in people—through continuous training and openness to innovation as a daily practice. Resilience, in our view, means the ability to turn the accelerated pace of change into a constant strategic advantage.
What was the most unexpected technological insight you discovered in the last year that completely changed your way of thinking when approaching projects?
The evolution of artificial intelligence can constantly surprise us. Still, the most valuable technological insight of the past year was the discovery of complex data flows. AI tools can be integrated and managed within a unified framework we call AIM (Artificial Intelligence Management). This system has radically changed the way we think and approach projects.
Through AIM, we discovered that efficiency and satisfaction in daily activities can increase by up to 40-50%. We turned the challenge of adapting to technology into an honest and direct advantage for people, immediately reflected in the quality and speed of the projects delivered.
Can you describe one or two projects in which LEVIATAN has integrated disruptive technologies (e.g., 7D BIM, advanced drone simulations, artificial intelligence for design optimization, or real-time construction site monitoring) that have fundamentally changed the design and execution process?
We constantly integrate disruptive technologies into our workflows, radically changing the way we design. For example, the use of drones to generate point clouds, digital terrain models (DTM/DSM), and orthophotomaps provides a complete overview of the design area. In addition, we use drones equipped with thermal cameras to assess building energy efficiency, as well as drone-mounted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to detect underground features.
What key projects are you currently working on that exemplify your position as leaders in integrated and innovative architecture?
We are currently working on several projects to reinforce buildings at risk of seismic activity in Bucharest. Our group of companies has recently been contracted to design and build the new Infectious Diseases Hospital in Brașov, an essential project for the national medical infrastructure that will significantly improve the quality of healthcare services and the local community.
These projects reflect our commitment to delivering integrated and innovative solutions that have a tangible impact on the community and sustainable development.
To what extent do you take into account spatial psychology and neuroarchitecture in your design process? Do you have any specific projects where these or other disciplines have radically changed the proposed solutions?
We understand that architecture influences how people feel and interact with the built environment. That is why, in the design process, we pay close attention to the psychology of space to create environments that put people at the centre.
This approach is reflected, for example, in our projects to reinforce earthquake-prone buildings in Bucharest, where we directly improve the quality of life by restoring safety and comfort for residents, enabling them to live in safer spaces that meet modern standards.
In a context where the “digital space” is becoming increasingly relevant, how do you manage to create physical spaces that do not become anachronistic?
Indeed, the “digital space” is gaining ground. Still, Romania’s reality remains anchored in a deep and urgent need to develop essential infrastructure—from hospitals and defense facilities to the reinforcement of buildings at risk of seismic activity.
Our projects directly address this need and are carried out to the highest standards, as confirmed over time by beneficiaries and national and international partners.
Three things that, if changed in legislation tomorrow, would revolutionize this sector?
Firstly, the procurement model for strategic projects should be revised to better respond to immediate needs. For example, in Greece, Poland, Finland, and the US, the process is much faster.
Secondly, the time required to issue building permits or utility approvals should be reduced. In some cases, it takes a year or two to issue approvals, which is not normal for strategic projects. Utility approvals should be a top priority, with a well-defined deadline, to allow for the implementation of these projects and compliance with international agreements or commitments.
Thirdly, the time allocated to the development of construction projects needs to be reconsidered, given that the time required to conduct feasibility studies and projects is 5 times shorter in Romania than in other countries.
What technology would you bet on today, but which is not yet widely adopted in Romania?
Generative design, a technology based on artificial intelligence, is not yet widely used in Romania. Still, it could radically transform the way architectural projects are developed. This approach enables rapid generation of numerous design variants, simultaneously optimised for structure, energy, and functionality.
The benefits are significant: better decisions in less time, more sustainable solutions, and projects that respond more accurately to people’s real needs and context. Thus, generative design can profoundly change the relationship between architecture and community, delivering spaces that are smarter and more suited to everyday life.
What kind of “utopian space” do you envision for the future of cities, and what steps are you taking today to make it a reality?
We envision spaces that impress with the way they improve people’s daily lives, spaces that reduce effort, decrease stress, protect people’s time, and increase their sense of security. Actual urban progress will take into account the well-being it will bring to those who will live in the cities of the future.
Integrating artificial intelligence into the spaces of the future will mean places that learn, adapt, and constantly improve the lives of those who use them. That’s why we’ve also integrated AI into our workflows: to work more efficiently and focus on what really matters—creating spaces that bring real value to people.
If you were to look back over LEVIATAN’s entire journey, what is the defining moment that truly changed you as a leader and as a team?
The defining moment was realizing that cutting-edge technologies can be a real asset, helping us design faster and more efficiently and giving us the extraordinary opportunity to deliver top-quality projects to clients ahead of schedule.
The full interview is available in the magazine TOP 100 Most Powerful Architecture Firms, 2025 edition, printed by the IBC Focus agency. The interview can also be accessed on the Arhispec website, here.
