| | | | Behind the Atelier with Franck Genser
Where Material Shapes the Design |
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| | | | Behind every Franck Genser piece is work in the atelier where ideas are shaped as much by materials as by the designer himself. Alabaster, walnut, glass, and plaster become collaborators in a creative process defined by patience, dialogue, and continual refinement. Sketches provide direction, but they are only the beginning. For Genser, the creative process unfolds through the constant interplay of intuition, material, and craftsmanship. |
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| | | | | | "I often say that form is a function of what it makes us experience," says Genser. "The work consists of returning to it again and again until a sufficiently simple and essential form appears." Rather than approaching design through predetermined shapes, Genser begins with an experience, a feeling, or an observation. Form emerges gradually, while the material becomes an active participant in the conversation from the earliest stages. Every decision is informed as much by what the object should communicate as by how it should function. This philosophy explains his continued use of natural materials, including alabaster, walnut, glass, and plaster. |
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| | | | Chosen not simply for their visual qualities, each possesses a distinct presence, texture, and depth that evolve over time. Their imperfections are embraced rather than concealed, allowing every piece to develop its own character as it ages. |
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| | | | "What interests me is not the material itself, but what it allows us to experience," he explains. "The objective is always to create an object that is both beautiful and functional, and that will continue to reveal itself with time." The atelier is equally a place of collaboration. While every collection begins with Genser's vision, each object is shaped through close exchanges with skilled artisans whose expertise continually informs the design process. Techniques, fabrication methods, and the unique behavior of each material often reveal possibilities that could never have been anticipated on paper. |
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| | | | | | "I do not see the making process as the execution of a fixed idea," says Genser. "It is a dialogue. The piece evolves through exchanges, tests, adjustments, and discoveries." For Genser, working directly with materials offers lessons no drawing can provide. Weight, texture, resistance, and the way a surface captures light can only be understood through touch. Every material carries its own limitations and possibilities, encouraging patience, observation, and, above all, humility. |
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| | | | This continual refinement reflects Genser's broader approach to design, where furniture, sculpture, and architecture exist in quiet conversation. Rather than choosing between function and artistic expression, he pursues objects that fulfill both roles naturally, serving as useful companions while establishing a subtle presence within a space. "I do not seek to impose a particular emotion," he says. "If someone can live with a piece, project themselves into it, and discover something personal through that relationship, then I feel the object has fulfilled its purpose." Ultimately, the atelier is more than a workshop. It is where ideas encounter reality, where materials influence design as much as design shapes material, and where each object slowly finds its essential form. It is a process guided not by spectacle, but by careful observation, collaboration, and a lasting respect for craftsmanship-principles that continue to define every piece created by Franck Genser. |
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| | | | | | ABOUT FRANCK GENSER Fascinated by the soul of objects and all dimensions of their influence on the individual, Franck Genser founded his creative studio in Paris in 2015. There, he brings together a multidisciplinary team composed of engineers and artisans. To create his furniture pieces, he draws inspiration from his imagination and explores the fields of perception. His creations combine functionality, art, and emotion. An engineer by training and an entrepreneur by passion, Franck Genser also expresses himself in more unexpected fields such as Gestalt therapy. An approach focused on the constant interaction between the human being and their environment. Form becomes the foremost function, emerging from inspiration without necessarily being tied to a specific use. |
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| | | | Driven by a sensitive aesthetic, Franck Genser does not hesitate to blend different exceptional skills to create a piece. He particularly works with noble materials that will develop a patina over time, such as walnut, parchment, marble, and Japanese lacquer. This unique approach results in objects brimming with emotion. They fit into a heritage perspective, serving as a current and future testimony of our era. |
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