Aleksejs Čurbakovs of Labs Dizains: "We enjoy the challenge"
With their diverse portfolio of residential and commercial projects, a highly individualized approach to clients, and a flair for originality, Labs Dizains has earned significant recognition over recent years. In 2021, they won first place in the Latvian Construction Annual Award [Latvijas Būvniecības Gada Balva - editor] for their "Escape House" project in the Residential Building – New Construction category. Later, their "Smart Casual" design was honoured among the top 30 interiors globally by the Archello Awards 2023. Today, the studio continues to craft distinctive residential interiors, and commercial collaborating with brands such as Printful, Stenders, DSV, BTA, and Draugiem Group.
In our interview, the studio's founder, Aleksejs Čurbakovs, shares his approach to balancing creativity with functionality, offers insights into Labs Dizains' philosophy, and discusses how they continue to adapt to the ever-evolving world of interior design, ensuring that each project remains both timeless and innovative.
How did the story of Labs Dizains begin?
I have a background in hospitality. Initially, I worked on hotel pre-openings in Latvia and abroad, during which time I developed an interest in design. When I returned to Latvia, I started expanding my work into interior project management and, in 2017, founded my own company. Since then, we've been creating design projects.
What is the core philosophy of Labs Dizains? How would you describe your vision for interior design?
Simply put, our goal is to create designs that reflect each client. While many designers work within a specific style and offer their own vision, we always dialogue with the client right from the first interview. We try to understand their tastes and preferences and then ofer solutions, providing technical drawings, 3D visual material and sharing our expertise. We don't tie ourselves to just one style — this flexibility also lets us cater to a broader range of clients. Personally, I even find it more stimulating to work across genres. Variety fuels development, and we enjoy the challenge and the process of learning and exploring.
What principles guide you when working with clients?
To work successfully together, it's important to speak the same language as the client. It's never about trapping clients into a financial commitment they can later be uncomfortable with. That's why we never ask for a large upfront payment; we want clients to feel at ease through the introductory period. In my experience, we've only parted ways with one client, and even then, it was amicable. Most of the time, clients become friends and later bring their friends to work with us.
How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your projects?
We just carefully assess each client's needs. The balance varies greatly, whether it's a private house where the client uses a particular sofa daily or a public space where design elements need to stand out and attract attention. After all, it is natural that you won't find many people wanting to live in a super-artistic interior daily. It's also crucial to ensure harmony between architecture and interior design so that the style inside aligns with the exterior. You wouldn't want an ultra-modern building with a baroque-style interior that clashes with its architectural narrative.
What work do you do more often: start projects from scratch or transform existing interiors?
We do both. Recently, we've seen an increase in projects involving renovations of older buildings. For example, we've been working on a historical building in Cēsis for over two years, where we handle the modern reinterpretation of traditional design. Then, an absolutely different approach: our Escape House project, which won first place as the best new building in 2021. In this case, we created both the architecture and interior for a private house, designing a functional layout that matched the client's lifestyle and then shaping the architecture around it.
How do you bring individuality to your designs?
This is a subjective question. I tend to be critical of our work and often tell the team that it's unlikely we're the first to come up with a particular idea. Everything has been seen before — we just reinterpret those ideas through our own lens. It's not about following formulas but relying on a sense of intuition. Sometimes, when you walk into a space, you instinctively know what belongs where. Other times, it's more challenging. So far, we've managed to realize all our ideas in practice. However, judging our designs' originality is not up to us but to our clients.
The work at Labs Dizains relies heavily on a strong team dynamic. Could you tell us more about your colleagues and teamwork?
Our team typically consists of six people with strong personalities and expertise. I value such diversity because it lets us discuss and pull out the essence of each project. Sometimes, we offer the client several options to choose from. I'm not possessive about my ideas — if a colleague's idea is selected, I'll happily play the technical support role to bring it to life. I also expect my designers to have technical knowledge; I don't need just a beautiful picture but a doable design. We also have a project manager and an assistant who handles all the struggle, helping coordinate the studio's entire life between design development and project realisaion.
What role do sustainability and eco-friendly materials play in your work?
It's a double-edged sword. On one hand, sustainability is trendy, and eco-friendly materials are a focus, but sometimes this trend is exploited — for example, recycled products can end up being more expensive than their non-recycled counterparts, not because of the actual cost of production, but because of their "fashionable" status. It's not correct from an ecological standpoint either; a fair price-to-performance ratio should exist. We prefer to work with manufacturers that produce quality, durable materials and furniture with a guarantee that they'll last a long time because we aim to create interiors for living.
Is there any design advice you'd like to share with our readers?
Sure! We all know how lighting can completely change how something looks. So, I'd recommend paying particular attention to light design. Don't be afraid to use theatrical techniques to highlight focal points in your space. This can completely transform the atmosphere and how the space feels.
What are your future plans for developing the design studio?
We're working internationally, in Spain, USA, Poland and potentially looking to open a branch in Spain. Another big step for us is creating our own furniture line. I enjoy working with local craftsmen because they have strong woodworking mastery here. I can't even recall the last time we ordered a branded kitchen—everything is custom-made. So, we're aiming to move in that direction!
info@labsdizains.lv | +371 23 990 970
