Today we’d like to introduce you to Polina Stepanova

Hi Polina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

While I have always seen myself as a multi-dimensional inspired creator who loves to experiment with various media, my focus over the last decade has been on architecture and architectural design. In my childhood, I was a devoted writer, perfecting the craft of authoring fairytales and fictional stories. As I was growing up, I started feeling both very humbled and exhilarated by this all-encompassing field of built environment, and the more I learned and practiced architecture, the more I discovered there was to learn and practice. Upon graduating from my Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University, I have been steadily attracting notable projects into my life – and so my career for the time being became determined by the project and its site, rather than the firm contracted to complete the work. I am currently an architectural designer for Vima Design, a design start-up led by talented Michael Gonzalez Haik with whom we attended University of Southern California.With Michael, we focus on sustainable residential construction mainly in Los Angeles area, and it is my greatest joy to meet with our clients (who usually want to renovate their home or build a new one) to help them achieve their design goals in a timely fashion. I also lead my own interior design and construction management project at renowned Aman New York for a private client, and I have been engaging with a New York City architect Leslie Gill to assist her with a landmark property in Brooklyn Heights. The work is definitely booming, and more projects are queueing up in the future as well. I feel accomplished and grateful to be able to selectively work on architectural projects that truly engage my curiosity. As I continue to hone my architectural craft, I also would love to complete more work for the betterment of community – such as designing sanctuaries for rescued animals, for example.

How did I get to where I am today? I consider every single modest victory an important stepping stone to success – every single step deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated. In the past, I was an architectural research fellow at Gensler, number one architecture firm in the country, and worked as an architectural and interior designer in multiple offices. In the last few years, I was also fortunate enough to see my work gaining international recognition. I had exciting new contracts allowing me to work on meaningful multi-type projects, various media sources started reaching out to me asking to share my expertise via their outlets, I won multiple awards and was invited to serve as a jury member on a large-scale residential development competition. Early in 2024, International Association of Designers hosted my personal exhibition “Humanism at the Heart of Architecture” on their website. The process of gaining recognition in the field definitely boosted my confidence, but I also have to remind the readers that every single endeavor starts from within. At times, it might be challenging to believe in yourself with unwavering faith, but that is exactly where you should consistently focus your efforts.

Finally, the question begs – what is next? I see the intertwining of technology, psychology, and architecture as the ultimate Holy Grail in the future of the industry. The architecture of today is full of technical flaws and human exploitations. I believe the investigative approach into the question of how technology and psychology can remedy the plagued world of architecture can yield a more acceptable answer than what we hold today as industry standards. For that reason, I consistently supplement my architectural education with that of technology and psychology – and this is the general direction I am currently headed.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

The better I get to know myself throughout the years, the more I realize that the road can indeed be smooth – but in order for it to be smooth, we have to face our inner demons. The hardest thing there is to master is your own attitude, because every single event that occurs on this planet can be perceived in a multitude of different ways. I once heard of an idea that no matter what happens, you always have a choice in terms of how to react. This is extremely powerful. We are not just primitive organisms reacting to a stimuli – we are powerful and mindful creators. Any struggles along the way can be viewed as impossible to overcome obstacles or they can be viewed as an integral part of the learning process.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

While I described my architectural pursuits above, I deem the most important aspect of my work to be the concentration on human well-being, animal rights, and environmental preservation. During my time at University of Southern California as an undergraduate student, I became a vegetarian and pursued a second major in psychology, which ultimately gave my architectural work a whole new dimension. Human-centric, inclusive architecture is what I aspire to practice on a daily basis, and this starts from knowing which finish materials are detrimental to human health to picking the color of the wall paint to increase human productivity. In 2023, me and my fellow scholar Catherine George Weilein published an article in the UK journal Built Environment about the destruction of self-built homes in Cairo and Los Angeles. Working on that piece reassured me yet again that my ultimate priority is to be a kind, compassionate designer. Through my research work, I expose the problematic narratives in the world of architecture and express the need for a more humane architectural design for the well-being of all.

Besides my emphasis on the wellness-oriented architecture, I also curate my own Youtube channel under the name Real Polya. This YouTube channel started out as a hobby sharing my passion for veganism and nutrition, but over the years it has metamorphosed into my outlet for mindset-related thoughts and documentation of my own life and travel. I absolutely love being creative, and this creativity in my case takes on many forms. I don’t think I would ever want to limit myself to just one medium, and while architecture surely remains my dominant creative endeavor, I also dabble in other forms of expression as well. My fundamental philosophy lies in the belief that humans are limitless, and so I would love for my life to fully embody that.

I am also becoming more and more certain that my ultimate life purpose is to bring as much light into this world as possible. This does not sound like a concrete career objective or a quantifiable goal, but this abstract idea of being love and kindness is truly what I am after. I recently read “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran For, who is truly a remarkable writer unafraid to shine the light onto some of the most disturbing issues of the 21st century. Reading this masterpiece helped me reconnect to why I have been a vegetarian for over seven years now, and how I can always do even better. I think it is important to stand up for those who do not have a voice, and I also think that every person can always do better, it is a stepwise process. As we all incrementally pursue mindfulness and kindness, the world will blossom.

How do you think about luck?

I am truly the luckiest person, and I am infinitely thankful for how blessed I have been throughout my entire life. There were periods in my life that were definitely difficult for me mentally – mostly when I was forcing myself on a path that was contrary to what my soul desired. In that sense, my suffering was self-inflicted. When I think about how life has treated me, I can’t possibly count my blessings – they are everywhere. I feel gratitude on a daily basis, and I am absolutely certain that it is my responsibility to make other lives better as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.realpolya.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realpolya/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/realpolya
• Other: http://vima.space/

Image Credits

Portraits of Polina: Fady Salib
Architectural works: Polina Stepanova for Museum of Emotions