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Our Approach

How We Work

Two sessions, real documents, small groups. Here is what to expect from the Volxeni workshop experience.

Small group of participants working through construction documents in a workshop setting
The Format

Two focused sessions, not a course

The workshop consists of two separate sessions, each approximately three hours long. The sessions are designed to be taken in sequence, with the first covering drawn documentation (floor plans, cross-sections, area tables) and the second covering written documentation (building permits, cost estimates, project packages).

Between sessions, participants are given a set of documents to review independently. This is not graded or assessed — it is simply an opportunity to consolidate what was covered in the first session before moving to the second.

Sessions are held at our premises in Zagreb. The working language is Croatian. English-language sessions can be arranged for groups where this is preferable.

  • Sessions held on weekday evenings or weekend mornings
  • Maximum group size kept deliberately small
  • No prior knowledge of construction required
  • Participants receive printed reference materials
Session by Session

What happens in each session

A structured progression from visual documents to legal and financial paperwork.

Session 1, Part A — Introduction to construction drawings

We begin with the basics of how construction drawings are organised: title blocks, drawing numbers, revision marks, and the relationship between different drawing types. Participants learn to navigate a drawing set without feeling lost.

Session 1, Part B — Floor plans in detail

Working with printed floor plans from real Croatian projects, participants practice reading room labels, dimensions, wall thicknesses, door and window positions, and how to cross-reference between floors. Common notation conventions used by Croatian architects are explained.

Session 1, Part C — Cross-sections and area tables

Cross-section drawings are introduced: what they show, how to read ceiling height information, and how they relate to the floor plans. Area tables are then covered: how net and gross areas are calculated and what each figure means for an investor.

Between sessions — Independent review

Participants receive a document package to review on their own. Questions arising from this review are addressed at the start of the second session.

Session 2, Part A — Building permits

The structure of a Croatian building permit (građevinska dozvola) is explained in detail. Participants learn what sections it contains, what conditions may be attached, how to verify its status, and what to do if a project does not yet have one.

Session 2, Part B — Cost estimates

Construction cost estimates (troškovnici) are examined: how they are structured, which trade categories are typically included, what unit prices suggest about the quality of the estimate, and how to compare estimates across projects.

Session 2, Part C — Putting it together

The final part of the workshop brings everything together. Participants work through a complete project document package and practise identifying what is present, what is missing, and what questions they would ask the project promoter.

The Instructor

Who leads the sessions

Workshop instructor reviewing construction drawings at a desk

Workshop Facilitation

Construction Document Specialist, Zagreb

Sessions are led by a specialist with professional experience in Croatian construction project documentation. The approach is practical rather than academic — the goal is to transfer usable skills, not to teach architecture or engineering.

The instructor has worked with construction documentation across residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects in Croatia and understands both the technical language of the documents and the perspective of a non-technical investor encountering them for the first time.

Questions from participants are welcomed throughout both sessions. There is no assumption that participants already know anything about construction — the workshop starts from the beginning.

  • Professional background in Croatian construction documentation
  • Experience explaining technical content to non-specialists
  • Familiar with the investor's perspective on project documentation

Want to join a session?

Contact us to find out about upcoming dates and to ask any questions about the workshop format.

Contact Us How It Works