Katya Ivanova

“I love working with old buildings because they have so much history and character. It feels like I'm helping to preserve a piece of Moscow's past.”

Katya grew up in Moscow and always knew that she wanted to work with her hands. She got her start in construction when a friend recommended her for a job on a refurbishing project. Despite being one of the only women on the team, Katya quickly proved to be a natural at the work. Now she specializes in restoring historic buildings in the city and is known for her attention to detail and creativity.

What's the most challenging project you've worked on?

Definitely the church with the wooden supports. It required a lot of precision and we had to be extremely careful not to damage the structure.

What's the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing the final product and knowing that I had a hand in making something beautiful and functional.