Max Povar – Principal Design Visionary

Max Povar

Principal Design Visionary at Lev Designs

10+ years in Architecture & Design

7 years at Lev Designs

Architecture and design have always been an important part of my life. My father is an architect, and I grew up immersed in his drawings, models, and plans. When I was in preschool, I remember visiting him at work and looking at the tools his team would use. (This was a long time ago, back when everything was still drawn and designed by hand.) I remember huge rolls of both Whatman paper and tracing paper—those tangible, physical resources architects relied on before everything went digital. The work genuinely excited me, so I tried to imitate it. From then on, I spent much of my time drawing, designing paper houses, and building models. It didn’t take long before I decided to start a career in architecture myself.

As a student, I liked to read about historically significant architects. At one point I focused on Santiago Calatrava’s futuristic buildings, though I understood these structures were difficult to operate and maintain. I also studied a lot of Frank Lloyd Wright. Everyone knows his Fallingwater project, but I enjoyed taking a closer look at his lesser-known, more complex works. 

This laid the foundation for my career. I first met Vadim in 2017, and we completed several projects together. The two of us meshed well, and just months after we met, we decided to found our company. It’s hard to believe we started out in a tiny office with just two designers on the team. Today Lev Designs has more than 20 employees, and our portfolio includes dozens of projects.

Over several years of working together, Vadim and I understand each other pretty well. I oversee all things design, while he focuses on business development and growing the company. It’s a symbiotic partnership.

I don’t have a favorite architectural style, although I do appreciate consistency in style. I should note that there are many factors that go into different styles of architecture—historical, economic, and social—and that I find simple historical stylization a little pointless. Still, I recognize that certain elements from the past can actually strengthen contemporary projects.

Today I understand the practicality behind the architecture profession. It’s creative too, but that’s not all there is. Some people romanticize it—and there is something romantic about drawing plans—but I believe the real work involves materializing designs into constructed spaces. You see, there’s no way to guarantee the project you’re working on will actually be built. Yet seeing the physical result of your work is some of the best motivation. This is one of the reasons why I so appreciate a project I completed in my first year of study: a residence that I designed and saw through to construction. It meant a lot to me, being able to gain such practical experience as a student. To this day, I believe there’s something meaningful about seeing a home standing exactly as you designed it.  

Architects are known for their design skills. In our profession, we also need to listen—to communicate clearly and empathize with clients, stakeholders, and everyone else. It’s important that we understand your requirements and implement them based on your own professional principles and design specifications. The goal is to find a sense of mutual understanding. Often, I think these signs of respect say more about a firm’s professionalism than any architectural award ever could.

Nothing inspires me like travel. Early on, I wanted to see great architectural masterpieces like St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Today I prefer to experience the lesser-known corners of the world. For instance, villages in Turkey and Greece offer real authenticity. Oh, and new places are also a powerful source of new ideas.