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CUSTOMERS' REQUIREMENTS DICTATE NEW BUILDING STANDARDS
INTERVIEW
A HIGHER STANDARD IS OUR STARTING POINT
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It is necessary to stay current with all new trends in order to build a facility that will meet increasingly demanding customer expectations and rise above the average, as Nikola Lazić, the owner and director of the construction company Granit Invest, stated for our magazine
Text by: GORDANA KNEŽEVIĆ MONAŠEVIĆ Photo: MILOŠ LUŽANIN
M
ake a difference is written on the office building’s stairs although the external look of the building, with its unusual angular position and recycled brick facade, indisputably indicates that it is an architectural solution with a new, qualitative value. The difference in expected workplace space standards is particularly noticeable in the interior of contemporary industrial design, whose utility and aesthetics captivate at first glance. We may say that Mia Dorćol is Granit Invest’s signature construction style, although the company’s owner and director, Nikola Lazić, prefers not to single out any of the objects in the portfolio because each new one aims to push the boundaries even further. We discussed with Nikola Lazić about the prospects offered to investors and developers in today’s market, as well as some new client demands that are influencing building trends.
The preceding year was exceptionally active in the construction and real estate industries. Despite the rise in construction material prices, we set numerous records in terms of turnover and price per square meter, and significantly more building permits were issued. What have been the most significant moments in the last year that have had an impact on your company’s business?
— Last year saw the launch of a new project for which we had been meticulously prepared for quite some time. We worked on it 24 hours a day so that we could respond to all of the market turbulence. We planned to order a large portion of the materials, facades, and air conditioning ahead of time and buy in advance because we knew there would be a rise in the price of construction supplies, which is solely related to global inflation. Regardless of the precautions taken, this increase has had an impact on our budget plans. The trend of rising building material prices, as well as rising real estate prices, will, in my opinion, keep pace with global inflation, which is solely related to global politics.
Real estate trends are changing significantly, particularly in terms of higher-quality residential and commercial space. What are the new standards that are necessary today to meet client expectations, given your company’s portfolio, which includes business and residential buildings in prestigious Belgrade locations?
— Our most recent three projects demonstrate that a higher standard is something that is our starting point. The only way to have real estate, i.e., the final product that meets the expectations of both clients and us as business owners, is to keep track of trends and ana-
lyze them carefully. To accomplish something like that, you must keep yourself informed. And keeping up with global trends, attending trade shows, and attending real estate seminars is the only way to assure your survival in a competitive market. Creating projects and conceptual solutions is the starting point and one of the most significant links in the chain that will present you tomorrow when the project becomes part of our environment. We were able to meet market demands thanks to a significant number of our clients that have high standards in their businesses and consequently demand high standards in their business environments. This contributes to the fact that we are constantly improving, not only in terms of the construction of high-quality real estate, but also in terms of the services that go along with it on a daily
basis. What we constantly insist on is to preserve the functionality of the property, connecting the processes and the people in it. Facility management is the only way to raise your property above average.
Belgrade, according to statistics, still lacks thousands of square meters of residential and business space. Do we have the construction capacity to make up the shortfall in the future, and where does Granit Invest fit into that map of investors and developers, given its ambitions and potential?
— Granit Invest has always placed more importance on quality above quantity. Regardless of the fact that every research indicates that demand exceeds supply, I believe it is far more necessary for an offer to be of high quality in terms of construction, functionality, aesthetics, and all other aspects. Rather than building as quickly and as much as possible, we aim to make a project idea largely according to our expectations and especially according to the inputs we receive from clients and associates. Yes, statistics show that both residential and non-residential building construction are in short supply. This deficit manifests itself primarily in a lack of suitable real estate to meet the needs of clients, who, in turn, have higher expectations.
What are the most productive objects to build on our market from the perspective of a construction firm, in terms of the project being completed as quickly as possible – from purchasing property and obtaining the necessary licenses, to executing work, to selling or leasing?
— The construction of high-quality and expensive residential buildings in areas that are popular but also costly has proven to be the most fruitful for us. Clients that purchase such real estate value, expect, and are willing to pay for it. As far-fetched as it may appear, such real estate sells the quickest. The same can be said for the real estate we rent, such as office buildings, which have above-average quality, location, equipment, and facilities management. In terms of the procedure itself, which includes property preparation of the location, preparation and adoption of necessary plans, procedures for obtaining the necessary permits, and in general the procedure of finalizing the “papers,” I can say without a doubt that it is much simpler today than before. This is due to a well-designed procedure that prevents you from wandering from counter to counter. At the same time, it’s good to have everything you have done on paper. Of course, it’s not just the software that manages everything; it’s also the people that designed, supported, and worked on it, and they’re available to answer any questions.
Belgrade, and Serbia as a whole, have become increasingly desirable to international investors that are active in our market in recent years. How much have the rules of the game altered as a result of the entry of large players? Are they a threat to domestic investors, or have they, on the contrary, helped to enhance the atmosphere in this industry?
— I admit that as someone who is pro-patriotic, I had an issue with foreign investors. However, as time went on, I recognized that we would not have progressed without them. With foreign investors, who have shown their professionalism, quality and seriousness in various projects, there has been an increase in the number of innovative solutions and their faster implementation in all areas of work: construction, organization, execution, and the project management model itself. From this point of view, I think that foreign investors are necessary to “wake up” the rest of us so we can be ready for the race.
Granit Invest is a family-owned company that has been operating successfully for 43 years. What have you changed in your company practices as the third generation?
— Granit Invest is and will remain a family-owend business. What I have obviously changed since when it was run by my father, is that I outsourced many jobs. We are a well-coordinated team, but first of all, we are friends who know each other very well after decades of working together and socializing. The priority is trust and a sense of belonging that we all share equally with Granit. Our everyday life is typical in terms of the tasks and jobs we perform, but the atmosphere
in which we work is better suited for a smaller high school class. Bad and good periods happen, but in such an atmosphere, bad periods are easier to overcome. Everything is far more relaxed when you are surrounded by this kind of energy than when you strictly respect organizational forms. That is why, despite of larger projects, our team does not have many members and does not plan to grow significantly, because the most important thing here is the quality we have as a team, not the number of people who work.
A revolutionary approach to design and construction is one of Granit Invest’s traditions, as evidenced by a number of exceptionally attractive, high-quality, and inventive facilities. Which buildings in your portfolio do you consider to be the most emblematic of your innovative approach?
— Each object is a story and time itself, and none of them can be singled out. When I say time, I mean that we try to make each of our buildings timeless, meaning that it cannot be overshadowed by the current construction trend. Such requests give extra “trouble” to our designers from the Zabriskie design bureau, which, I must say, they still accept with great enthusiasm. All this effort and troubles are not in vain. This is proved by the nominations for various prestigious awards for the Green Square and Mia Dorćol facilities. This only goes in favor of the fact that innovation and revolutionaries are recognized by the profession. It gives us additional motivation, but also the responsibility, to continue in that direction for future facilities.
Green construction, which respects environmental standards and principles of energy efficiency, will be more and more present, and even mandatory. What has been your previous experience with a green building?
— We demonstrated that this style of building is an intrinsic component of our business policy already with the first project. Even back then, it became obligatory for us. Now we can and want to take a step forward and raise it to a higher level on the new project which is ongoing.
What are your plans for next year’s activities?
— The coming year will be extremely demanding and dynamic for us because we plan to complete the Revolution building by the end of 2022. This facility has proven to be the most demanding and complicated to build so far, so all our attention is focused on that. Next year brings another new project, that is Mia Dorćol 2. We are preparing it slowly because we want to give ourselves time to rest so that we might surprise ourselves first with some new ideas.
