Poul Henningsen, a lighting design pioneer whose work shaped the Louis Poulsen story, designed his celebrated PH 5 pendant in 1958. Six decades later, the PH 5 remains the bestselling design in the company’s portfolio. In February 2018, to mark the anniversary of this timeless icon, Louis Poulsen will release the PH 5 pendant in a vibrant range of colours to match the recently launched suite of PH 5 Minis.
In Autumn 2017, Louis Poulsen released the brand-new PH 5 Mini – the first-ever resize of the PH 5 – in Classic White, a new White Modern, and six vibrant new colour combinations: Hues of Orange, Hues of Rose, Hues of Red, Hues of Green, Hues of Blue and Hues of Grey.
In celebration of the PH 5 pendant’s sixtieth anniversary, the original PH 5 will also be made available in the same eight colours, offering even more opportunities to harmonise the PH 5 family, particularly when hanging the lamps in multiples. Different hues on each lamp’s five iconic shades create a dynamic gradient effect, enhancing the pendants’ visual impact.
A sculptural mood-setter for any space
True to the multi-talented Henningsen’s signature balance of function and form – of technology and art, in other words – the PH 5 serves as a beautiful sculptural element both when it is on and off. This effect enhanced by the bold new colour options, and the top-to-bottom graduations from dark to light within each colour variant.
“Every interior – whether classic or modern – can benefit from the exceptional lighting and aesthetic qualities of Poul Henningsen’s most popular design,” says Rasmus Markholt, Idea & Design Director at Louis Poulsen. “We wanted to celebrate the six-decade legacy by expanding the PH 5 family to complement any space, and open it up for new, modern and personal expression. The lamps can be subtly incorporated with existing décor – or bring a bold pop of colour. We look forward to seeing how people interpret the new options to create their ideal ambience.”
An ingenious system to shape and humanise light
Poul Henningsen developed the PH 5 in 1958 as a follow-up to his celebrated three-shade system, which was launched in 1926 and put Louis Poulsen on the map as the leading manufacturer of innovative lighting. Henningsen’s original design had been inspired by his mother’s wish for more flattering, softer light in an era when homes were still transitioning to electric lighting and incandescent bulbs, whose effects were more utilitarian than aesthetic.
Later, when lightbulbs were standardised (a design shift that displeased Henningsen, who called the new bulbs “muffins”), he responded with the five-shade system to gain complete control over the new type of light, quipping that, “With the new PH 5, I surrender to the light bulb manufacturers.” The surrender proved to be more of a statement of Henningsen’s genius, and to this day, the PH 5’s five-shade system continues to infuse spaces with 100% glare-free, even illumination, with the majority of light shining downwards at the space it illuminates rather than into people’s eyes. The pendant uses a lightbulb, producing the ideal combination of downward and lateral light to also gently illuminate the fixture itself. Interior anti-glare rings and reflectors ensure a warm light tone that complements the daily rhythm of natural light.
The new colours will be available in stores starting in February 2018.
About Louis Poulsen
Founded in 1874, the Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen creates products that encompass the duality of design and light. Every detail in the design has a purpose. Every design starts and ends with light. Louis Poulsen offers a range of lighting aimed at the commercial and domestic lighting markets, with lights and solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications. In close partnership with designers and architects like Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øivind Slaatto, Alfred Homann, Oki Sato and GamFratesi, Louis Poulsen has established itself as one of the key suppliers of architectural and decorative lighting and has a global presence with dedicated showrooms in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Miami, Oslo, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Dusseldorf.
Press release, January 2018