Poul Henningsen - The Master of Light

The profoundly influential and daring designer, architect, author,

and cultural critic Poul Henningsen left his mark on many areas

of Danish thought and design, and built a legacy that remains

integral to Louis Poulsen’s work to shape light.

Henningsen first saw electric light in 1907 and dedicated most

of his life to taming and refining the phenomenon. His lifelong

collaboration with Louis Poulsen began in 1924. Seeking to

reduce glare and enhance illumination, Henningsen developed

his revolutionary three-shade system in 1926, achieving softly

diffused lighting that was pleasing to the eye and created more

comfortable and inviting spaces for work and life. The designer’s

partnership with Louis Poulsen went on to give the world such

classics as the PH 5, the PH Artichoke, and the PH Snowball.

Henningsen’s pioneering work with the relationship between

light structures, shadows, glare, and colour reproduction – and

his fascination with the human need for both darkness and light

– remain the foundation of Louis Poulsen’s lighting philosophy.

As Louis Poulsen continues its journey of shaping light – and

people’s experiences of the spaces it illuminates – the company

pays homage to the Poul Henningsen tradition of designing

intelligently and with timeless style: a philosophy the

PH 3/2 Table lamp brilliantly brings to life.