Discussion at the Embassy of Latvia “Encounters Through Design”

Encounters Through Design: A Conversation with Aldis Circenis, Founder and CEO of ARTICUL. As part of Helsinki Design Week 2026, the Embassy of Latvia in Finland invites to an inspiring Design Diplomacy conversation with architect, designer, and entrepreneur Aldis Circenis, founder and CEO of the Latvian furniture brand ARTICUL. This discussion explores how design can create meaningful encounters across cultures, industries, and everyday life. Reflecting the festival theme The Encounter, the event will examine the role of furniture and spatial design in shaping human interaction, comfort, and belonging. Aldis Circenis is one of Latvia’s most recognised design figures. An architect by profession, he became the first Latvian designer to receive a Red Dot Design Award in 2012. With more than three decades of experience in architecture and product design, he has built ARTICUL into a leading furniture manufacturer known for its innovative use of moulded birch plywood, exceptional craftsmanship, and human-centred approach to design. In summer 2026, ARTICUL began its collaboration with Finnish Design Shop, opening a new chapter in the brand’s Nordic presence. Founded in Riga in the 1990s, ARTICUL has grown from a pioneering furniture workshop into a fully integrated manufacturing company, creating durable and timeless furniture for homes, offices, educational institutions, and public spaces. The company’s philosophy is rooted in comfort, functionality, sustainability, and enduring quality. The conversation will offer insights into contemporary Baltic design, entrepreneurship, international collaboration, and the ways thoughtful design can foster connections between people, places, and cultures. Organiser: Embassy of Latvia in Finland Format: Design Diplomacy Talk / Discussion Speaker: Aldis Circenis, Founder and CEO of ARTICUL and Helsinki Design Week representative. Location: Embassy of Latvia in Finland, Helsinki. 2.9.2026 16:00