With Louis Poulsen's announcement of the launch of the PH Septima, this unique seven-shaded glass lamp, first designed by Paul Henningsen in 1927-31, saw the light of day again during the autumn of 7. Renowned for its decorative effect created by alternating transparent and translucent sections and its poetic seven-layer shade, the PH Septima lamp creates a special atmosphere in any room with its pleasant and subtle diffused light.
The PH Septima is characterized by a striking balance of old-fashioned and modern, with an exceptional design reminiscent of the impressive triple shade system of the PH 5/5. Paul Henningsen designed Septima by adding four sections to the basic triple shade system, increasing the total number of shades to seven, and by placing seven shades made of delicate yet strong Italian borosilicate glass alternating between clear and translucent sections, the atmosphere is warm and harmonious while still retaining the modern aesthetic.
This glass shade, consisting of a transparent section and a translucent section, is positioned so that the translucent section obscures the transparent section when viewed from below, and this laminated structure allows more light to diffuse while creating a glare-free downward light distribution effect. The round glass cups sit neatly on the top to prevent dust from entering the lamp.
Septima was first exhibited in prototype form in 1928 at the Danish Museum of Decorative Arts (now the Danish Design Museum), where it was warmly received by the public. Subsequently, in 1931, Henningsen unveiled a smaller version of the PH Septima, which was designed based on the shade size of the PH 4/4, which led to the two products being named Septima 5 and 4 respectively according to their size. Unfortunately, despite the enthusiastic reception of the PH Septima, only a small number of samples were built due to the shortage of raw materials in the 1940s.
Henningsen also designed a metal version of the PH Septima in the process of developing it. Although none of these lamps went into production, some 30 years later, the drawings led to the development of the PH Artichoke, which made Copenhagen's Langelinie Pavilion restaurant famous. Today, the PH Septima is regarded as the most exquisite of Paul Henningsen's pendants, and it is clear that it had a significant influence on the design of the famous PH Artichoke.
Louis Poulsen is proud to bring the PH Septima back to its almost original design without any major modifications, reviving it into a modern and functional lamp that meets today's standards of light comfort.
The PH Septima features a combination of clear and frosted glass, with a modern twist to complement the design's soft tone, with the addition of brass suspension, arms, and canopy. In addition, the bulb is covered by seven glass shades to enhance the level of comfort provided by glare-free, soft diffused light. The PH Septima will be available in size Ø5 and E500 light source based on the shade of the Septima 27 and will be available in stores from autumn 2020.
About Poul Henningsen
Poul Henningsen was born in Copenhagen, the son of the famous Danish actress Agnes Henningsen. He studied at the Technical School in Frederiksberg from 1911 to 1914 and completed his training at the Technical College in Copenhagen from 1914 to 1917. He began to design traditional functionalist architecture, but over time his professional interests were mainly lighting, a field that has made him famous today.
He also expanded his field of work into the realm of writing, becoming a journalist and author. For a short period of time after the outbreak of World War II, he was the chief architect of the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. Like many other artists, he was forced to flee Denmark during the German occupation, but later became an important figure in the Danish colonial artists' community in Sweden.
His lifelong collaboration with Louis Poulsen began in 1925 and lasted until his death. To this day, Louis Poulsen still benefits from his genius. Poul Henningsen is also the original editor of the corporate magazine NYT. Louis Poulsen's CEO at the time, Sophus Kaastrup-Olsen, gave the magazine as a gift to Poul Henningsen because he had been fired from the Danish newspaper where he worked (his views were too radical in the eyes of the newspaper's management).
Poul Henningsen's pioneering work on the structure of light, the relationship between shadows, glare, and color reproduction, and the need for light, remains the basis of the lighting theory that Louis Poulsen still practiced.
About Louis Poulsen
Louis Poulsen, a Danish lighting manufacturer founded in 1874, creates products that incorporate the two elements of design and lighting. Every detail in design has a purpose. Every design begins and ends with light. Louis Poulsen offers a wide range of luminaires aimed at the commercial and home lighting markets, with luminaires and solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments. In close partnership with renowned designers and architects such as Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øivind Slaatto, Alfred Homann, Oki Sato and GamFratesi, Louis Poulsen has established itself as a key supplier of architectural and decorative lighting worldwide, with dedicated showrooms worldwide in Copenhagen, Singapore, Miami, Oslo, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Düsseldorf.