POSLOVNI ĐIR Duje Šegvić

Guest Duje ŠegvićHosted by Mojdana KoharevićMay 3, 2026

Duje Šegvić

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Duje Šegvić grew up surrounded by blueprints and construction sites. His father, Edo Šegvić, was a renowned architect; his mother, Slavica, a civil engineer. This early immersion shaped his path, but the world of architecture he entered was already shifting. Today, Šegvić, who runs Prostor Split and Ilustrator.hr, navigates a profession where the thoughtful, hand-drawn designs of his mentors have given way to rapid digital production. He sees how technology has accelerated work, yet without necessarily increasing earnings or allowing for deeper deliberation. This conversation explores the tension between craft and speed, regional identity and modern client demands, and the bureaucratic hurdles that often overshadow individual talent in Croatian architecture. You will walk away with a clearer understanding of how external pressures redefine the daily practice of creative professions.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Duje Šegvić observes that while technology allows architects to work faster, they are not earning more as a result. Instead, he says, "architects today don't earn more by working faster; they simply work faster to keep pace." The lesson is that increased efficiency can often just raise the baseline expectation for output, rather than directly increasing profit margins.

Duje Šegvić's path into architecture began not with a conscious choice, but with the constant presence of his architect father and civil engineer mother. The most enduring professional inclinations are often those you've been inadvertently preparing for since childhood, rather than those you seek out later.

When investors request three-meter-wide glass windows for a modern villa, as Duje Šegvić describes, it clashes with traditional Dalmatian stone architecture. You cannot force a client to choose tradition over their design preference; the architect's role is to find a balance that honors both the client's demands and the local spirit.

Waiting six months to two years for building permits, as Duje Šegvić details, often causes investors to abandon or change their plans entirely. Administrative delays, not market conditions, can be the biggest obstacle to project completion and a primary driver of lost investment.

The shift from hand-drawing, where plans sat on a table for months, to rapid computer design has sacrificed deliberation. Duje Šegvić notes this speed has "somewhat lost that thoughtfulness." While technology offers efficiency, it often comes at the cost of deep, unhurried reflection in creative work.

Croatia's architectural sector remains "quite backward" due to its preoccupation with legalizing illegal buildings, Duje Šegvić states. The lesson is that national administrative burdens can divert collective energy from innovation and global competition, even when individual professionals are capable of competing internationally.

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ScenariosBusiness challenges CardsEducational cards TimelineTopic evolution