Meet Sam Claessen Pollaris, the conceptual designer behind Studio-ClaPo, a design studio launched in 2023 during his final year interior design at the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels.

Mission and design philosophy:

Studio-ClaPo aims to elevate design by blending aesthetics, emotion, and connection for a profound feel-good experience. Sam listens to stimuli, using his feelings as tools to craft unique, tranquil designs customized for individuals and their interiors.

Sam's core design philosophy emphasizes reconnecting with roots, and staying true to oneself. Designing from within creates a unique identity resonating with both the designer and the audience.

Roots and skills:

Sam's roots go back to his great-grandfather, a skilled carpenter, from whom he inherited a deep love of solid wood. Armed with this heritage, he has mastered the art of working with solid wood as well as metal, plexiglass and other plastics, creating moments of peace through his diverse skills.

Motivational quotes:

"I've never done it before, so I think I can do it" (Pippi Longstocking) and "Do what feels good, then you will be happy" are the motivational quotes that fuel Sam's creativity and resilience. They push him to think outside the box and experiment.

Studio-ClaPo is a gentle reminder to listen to personal desires—a seed from which beautiful things can grow. It aims not to change but to inspire and set in motion a unique design journey for everyone touched by it.

  • Hello my name is Sam Claessen Pollaris.

    Born in Antwerp - Belgium on 05.07.2000.

    Raised in Hasselt Kiewit - Belgium.

    Languages: Dutch and English.

  • Woodworking:

    Craft joinery, interior customisation, furniture making, interior and exterior joinery, CNC, I basically love to do anything to do with woodworking.

    Metalworking:

    MIG/MAG welding, tube bending, metal forging.

    Designing:

    SketchUp, Vectorworks, Twinmotion, autoCAD, Indesign, Photoshop, Lightroom.

    Other:

    Analog and digital photography, rock climbing,

    • Midcentury design

    • Low stimuli design

    • Neurosensitive design

    • Photography

    • Cars

    • Fancy food

    • Spanish red wine

    • Traveling

  • 2012 - 2019: Academy of fine arts Heusden-Zolder

    2012 - 2019: Secondary vocational education PSSD Diepenbeek - woodworking

    2019 - 2020: 7th specialization year THHI Tessenderlo - Wood Interior Decorator & business management

    2021 - 2024: Professional bachelor interior design Luca Brussels

    2024 - 2025: Postgraduate VOMO (ferniture design) Thomas More Mechelen

    Internships:

    2017 - 2018: Schrijnwerkerij en Houthandel Beulen Hasselt Belgium (3 weeks)

    Kitchens, interior doors, basic interior woodworking.

    2018 - 2020: Het Timmermanneke, Zonhoven Belgium (3 x 6 weeks)

    Custom kitchens, custom interior and exterior doors, custom interior and exterior woodwork, basic sanitary facilities, basic electro, operator and installer.

    2020: Ekte Furniture, Tromso Norway - Erasmus+ internship abroad (3,5 months)

    Interior and exterior custom woodwork, custom furniture, total interiors, basic welding, basic spraying and lacquering, basic furniture design, experimenting with materials, working at unique locations in the far north, exceptional work assignments such as making a floating sauna boat in the center of Tromso.

    2023: Studio Part, Antwerp Belgium (9 weeks)

    learning how a design company works with, for example, training on preparing quotations, project estimates, client database, networking, positioning in the sector, designing, realising and getting ready to work independently. This gave me the opportunity to work from the front row, hands-on, from sketch to final product. I learned working with Studio Parts vision. I learned a lot from this vision. During this internship, I was offered support for my own projects, such as the development of Boundaries of Smoke, with meetings every lunchtime to discuss the next steps, emails, proposals and advice.

    2025: Jonas Van Put. Antwerp (4 weeks)

  • 2016 - 2018: Schrijnwerkerij and Houthandel Beulen, Hasselt

    Store employee and machine maintenance.

    2018 - 2022: Younit, Flanders

    Stagehand construction and dismantling of stages.

    2018: De Verfgroothandel, Hasselt

    Paint transport.

    2019 - 2020: Het Timmer manneke, Zonhoven

    Operator and installation of interior (kitchens, bathrooms, lounges, bedrooms, stairs and doors)

    2020: Ekte Furniture, Tromso Norway

    Operator, carpenter, designer, installer, welding, painting, etc.

    2021 - 2024: Deusjevoo, Genk

    Decor construction of Tv shows and carpentry.

    2023: Stef Roets, Bilsen

    Custom fine interior carpentry.

    2024 - 2025: Design District Leuven

    Delivery and installation of design furniture.

    2025: Deusjevoo.

    construction designer, CNC drawing and programing.

    • 31/01/2024 - 04/02/2024: Participated as a conceptual artist with the light art installation Boundaries of Smoke at the light festival in Ghent.