| | | | Franck Genser Introduces Iko, a Touch-Activated Alabaster Light |
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| | | | Some objects illuminate a room. Others quietly change how it feels.
With Iko, Paris-based designer Franck Genser has created a wireless alabaster light that responds to the simplest gesture: a touch. A hand placed against the stone brings the alabaster's light to life, revealing its natural translucency and casting a warm, gentle glow.
The name Iko was chosen for its quiet elegance. Inspired by the simplicity and restraint found in Japanese design, it reflects the spirit of the piece itself-discreet, intuitive and understated. Short and almost like a breath, the name felt like a natural, expression of an object designed to bring a sense of calm rather than demand attention. |
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| | | | | | Part of the Sea Side collection, Iko was imagined as a small presence within the home-somewhere between a pebble smoothed by water and a creature emerging from the shoreline. Its rounded silhouette and soft illumination evoke the calmness of dusk, when light becomes warmer, movement slows, and atmosphere begins to take over. "The idea behind Iko came from the desire to create a light that feels almost instinctive," says Genser. "It is not simply a nightlight; it is a companion of the evening, a discreet presence that brings warmth, calm and intimacy to a space."
The decision to activate the light through touch was central to the design. Rather than relying on a switch, Iko invites a direct interaction between the user and the object. |
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| | | | "Touch activation felt essential because Iko is about proximity and emotion," explains Genser. "You touch the alabaster, and the light appears. It becomes a small ritual, something very natural and very human." |
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| | | | Alabaster was selected not only for its beauty but for its unique relationship with light. The stone diffuses illumination softly, allowing the material itself to glow from within. When switched off, Iko appears sculptural and solid; when illuminated, its natural veining and translucency emerge, giving each piece its own character.
No two examples are exactly alike. Designed to move easily throughout the home, Iko can rest on the floor beside a bed, illuminate a dining table, soften a hallway, or create atmosphere within hospitality spaces. Used alone, it offers a quiet and intimate source of light. Arranged in groups, the pieces begin to interact with one another, creating a luminous landscape that feels almost like a constellation. |
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| | | | "I hope people feel an immediate sense of calm and warmth," says Genser. "I would like people to feel that Iko brings not only light, but atmosphere-something comforting, poetic, and quietly alive." Each Iko is handcrafted in alabaster and made to order in the Paris atelier. Dimensions may be customized upon request, allowing the piece to adapt to both intimate residential settings and larger, more scenographic environments. |
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| | | | Product Information
Designer: Franck Genser
Collection: Sea Side
Material: Alabaster
Function: Wireless touch-activated light
Customization: Dimensions available upon request
Production: Made to order
Lead time: Approximately 12 weeks, excluding transport |
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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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