Since 2016, Dagnija Balode has served as Partner and Chief Business Officer at Design Studio H2E. 

Previous to becoming Partner and Chief Business Officer, Dagnija Balode was a Project Manager for several projects in Latvia and abroad in the field of graphic, interior and exhibition design as well the wayfinding. The most recent exhibition design projects are “Aluksne Banitis Station”, “Jānis Čakste’s House”, the Latvian War Museum exhibition “The Latvian Population during the First World War”, and the Riga Motor Museum’s permanent exhibition.

H2E’s projects have won recognition not only in Latvia, but also internationally, in the form of industry awards including the Red Dot Design Award (Germany), IF Design Award (Germany), SEGD Award (USA), THEA Award (USA), A`Design Award (Italy) and European Business Award 2018.

Organizer and Project Lead of the national design industry award – the National Design Award of Latvia. This organizational work included the competition and various events to engage the public. In devising the National Design Award of Latvia event program, a special emphasis was placed on the inter-disciplinary nature of design.

Education:
EMBA, Executive Master’s Degree of Business Administration, Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, 2019

1st level highest professional lawyer’s education, Law College, 2012

MA, Professional Master’s degree of business administration in creative industries, Higher School of Banking and Finance, 2010

MA, Professional Master’s degree of Business Administration, Riga Stradins University, 2008 BA, Bachelor’s degree of social sciences in management, Riga Stradins University, 2006

Languages:
Latvian - native; English - fluent; German– basic knowledge; Russian – basic knowledge

Awards

• SEGD Global Design Award 2019 – Honor Award and Best of Show to the exposition “Aluksne Banitis Station”
• SEGD Global Design Award 2019 – Honor Award to the Environmental Objects “Anglers’ Seats” by lake Alūksne.
• Latvian Architecture Award 2019 Silver pineapple to the exposition “Aluksne Banitis Station”
• Latvian Museum Association Year Award 2019 winner in the category “Expositions” – “Aluksne Banitis Station”
• Latvian Television and Latvian Radio award “Kilograms kultūras” 2019, Cultural Heritage category to the exhibition “Latvia’s Centenary”
• Adwards 2018 Silver prize in the category “Print Art and Design” for the book design of city Liepāja
• The European Museum of the Year Award 2018 (EMYA) Special commendations to the displays of Rainis museum in Tadenava, Rainis and Aspazija house in Riga, Rainis and Aspazija Summer House in Jurmala
• European Business Award 2018 to Design Studio H2E – winner in the category “Innovations”
• Thea Award 2018 winner in the category “Outstanding Achievement” Rainis museum in Tadenava
• German Design Award 2018 winner in the category “Expositions” – Latvians in World War I, at the Latvian War museum
• Excellence Award in Culture of Latvia 2017
• SEGD Global Design Award 2019 – Merit Award 2017 in the category “Exposition design” to the display of Rainis museum in Tadenava
• Latvian Architecture Award 2017 Finalist – Rainis museum in Tadenava
• Latvian Museum Association Year Award 2016 winner in the category “Expositions” – Latvians in World War I, at the Latvian War museum
• Latvian Museum Association Year Award 2016 winner in the category “Innovations”
• “Riga Motormuseum”.
• Latvian Television and Latvian Radio award “Kilograms kultūras” 2019, Cultural Heritage category to the exhibitions of Rainis and Aspazija Museums in Riga, Jurmala and Tadenava.
• Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2016 in the category “Spatial communication to the exhibition “Information” from the event cycle “Design Manifestation”
• Red Dot  Award: Communication Design 2016  in the  category  “Spatial communication” to the exhibition “10 stories about men and power”
• Adwards 2016 Silver prize in the category “Print Art and Design” to the exhibition “Riga Motormuseum”.
• Adwards 2016 Gold prize in the category “Print Art and Design” to the exhibition of Rainis museum in Tadenava.
• SEGD Global Design Award 2016 Honor Award and Best of to the exhibition “Information” from the event cycle “DesignManifestation”
• Book Art Award “Zelta ābele 2015” – to the book “Dramatica”
• A'Design Award and Competition 2015-2016 – bronze prize in the category “Interior and Exposition Design” to the interior for ABLV Bank Mortgage Clients Department
• A'Design Award and Competition 2015-2016 Silver prize in the category “Interior and Exposition Design” to the display "Information" from the event cycle “Design Manifestation”
• SEGD 2015 International Design Award Merit Award to the display „10 lietu stāsti par cilvēku and varu”/Stories about humans and power in 10 objects
• A'Design Award and Competition silver nomination in the category interior and exposition design 2014-2015 to the display „10 lietu stāsti par cilvēku and varu”/ Stories about humans and power in 10 objects/
• IF Design Award 2015 design award to the display „10 lietu stāsti par cilvēku and varu”/Stories about humans and power in 10 objects/
• SEGD 2014 International Design Award Merit to the display of the 2nd floor of the Ventspils Museum
• A'Design Award and Competition golden nomination in the category interior and exposition design, 2013-2014 for the multimedia exhibition ‘‘Lsx20. Nacionālās valūtas mākslas gadi’’/’’Lsx20. Years of Art of National Currency’’/
• Multimedia exposition„Lsx20. Nacionālās valūtas mākslas gadi” special award of Deko magazine at the international advertisement competition „Golden Hammer 2013”
• Adwards 2013 Golden medal in the category of open air, public space and commercial space interior design for the multimedia exhibition Lsx20
• Permanent display of the second floor of the Ventspils Livonian castle – finalist of the Latvian Annual Architectural award 2012

View more of Dagnija Balode's work at Design Studio H2E.  Connect with Dagnija on LinkedIn.