The Building That Inspired Me: Pavel Savelev
Pavel Savelev, Senior Architectural Assistant at LA London.
In our Journal series, we hear from LA London team members about a significant building or structure that has inspired and shaped their career in architecture. This month, Senior Architectural Assistant Pavel Savelev chooses Dunaev Merchant’s House in his hometown of Kurgan in Russia, where he studied for eight years.
Can you tell us about the building you have chosen?
When people ask me which building had the greatest influence on me and inspired my choice to become an architect, I immediately think of the Dunaev Merchant’s House (architect is unknown) in Kurgan (my hometown in Russia).
This late 19th-century building is a unique architectural monument, a vivid example of Russian wooden architecture with elements of eclecticism. Today, it houses the art department of the Children's School of Arts, where I studied for eight years.
“As a child, these features seemed almost magical to me, as if the building itself was telling a story.”
Why is it so inspiring?
The Dunaev House is not just beautiful — it feels alive. Its wooden facades, adorned with countless carved details, window frames, gables, and decorative cornices, are true textbooks of craftsmanship, where every detail is deliberate and meaningful. As a child, these features seemed almost magical to me, as if the building itself was telling a story. Later I realised that it was precisely this attention to detail — the care given to seemingly insignificant elements — that deeply shaped my view of architecture.
The wooden facade of the Dunaev House.
How did it influence your choice of career or your career path?
My path toward becoming an architect began there. Every day, stepping through the threshold of the Dunaev House, I found myself in a world where beauty, history, and art were an integral part of everyday life. This building became a symbol for me — showing that architecture is not only about form and structure, but also about emotions, impressions, and the soul of a space.
“ I try to imbue every project with the same kind of meaning that the Dunaev House held: individuality, history, inner depth. I believe that every building should ‘speak’ to a person, evoke emotion, and be not only functional but also inspiring. ”
How has it affected your approach to projects at LA London?
Today, working at LA London Architects, I still unconsciously draw from that early experience. The projects we create, I try to imbue with the same kind of meaning that the Dunaev House held: individuality, history, inner depth. I believe that every building should ‘speak’ to a person, evoke emotion, and be not only functional but also inspiring.
Has your perception of this building changed during your time working as an architect?
Over time, my perception of that house has changed. If as a child it felt almost enchanted, now I see it as an outstanding achievement of its time. I admire the craftsmanship of the unknown artisans who used wood and imagination to create something so enduring and expressive. That building taught me to respect the craft, to pay attention to detail, and — most importantly — to remember that true architecture begins with love for what you do.
Catch up with the other interviews in this series: LA London Associate Miruna Stroe talks about T-House by Simon Ungers and Thomas Kinslow, and Managing Partner Andrew Paulson shares his love for La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
