Ph 5 - A Revolutionary Lamp From A Revolutionary Designer

Poul Henningsen was an originator when thinking about lights in the home and their relationship to interior design (heminredning). His education concerned the style and design of buildings, but his legacy involved mobile lights. Many of his theories are the basis of the current marketplace.
To better understand his unique perspective on electrical lighting (belysning), it is helpful to know the circumstances in which he lived his life. Henninsen was born in 1894 and grew up in a modest home. It was lit by gas lighting, which was the norm for people of his town at the turn of the century.
When he started his work as an architect, he was given the chance to visit and learn about many different facilities that had electrical lighting. He did not like the design or functionality of the light fixtures that were available in those days. He was repulsed by how the light made the facilities look and feel. It seemed to him that the current methods of using electrical lighting were not working the best. The current fixtures provided light that was not attractive, and was harsh and glaring as well.
He wanted to create electric lights which offered the softer glow of the gaslights he'd grown up with. In order to do this he experimented until he developed a prototype. His first multi-shade lamp, known as the PH-lamp, was designed in 1924. The next year he displayed some of his creations at the 1925 Paris Exposition of Decorative Arts and took the top prize for modern lighting. After his win his model ph 5 pendel lamp went into production and was immensely popular.
Using the cleverly positioned lampshades, the ph 5 pendel pendant lamp delivered filtered light. To obtain optimal light distribution and minimal glare, Henningsen performed extensive experiments on the lampshades. The result is a lampshade that distributes the light, and with colors on the inside of the lampshade to help soften the whiteness of that light. The end product minimizes the harsh abrupt contrast between light and dark seen at the outer edges of ordinary lighting.
Even today, you can still purchase a ph 5 pendel that has been designed specifically for home use. The beauty and simple elegance of the original design are still evident. The lamp is still made of a series of three graduated reflector shades. The help to soften and direct light in a uniform, symmetrical manner. An atmosphere of ambience and relaxing comfort are achieved with the ph 5 pendel, which cover the light bulb and direct the light downward to provide soft illumination.

By: Richard Guilfoyle

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Poul Henningsen was a pioneer in lighting theory and its use in interior design (heminredning). Though he had formal education in architecture, he is known more for his work with lamps. Good lighting for business workplace and homes was owing to his influence that exists even now. His first multi-shade lamp, known as the PH-lamp, was designed in 1924.