About the Collection Louis Poulsen PH 80
Poul Henningsen designed the three-shades system in 1925/1926. The first light fixtures featuring this system were created in collaboration with Louis Poulsen for an exhibition in Paris. This partnership was carried on until Hennigsen's death in 1967. During his lifetime, Henningsen aimed at creating glare-free light and soft shadows and guiding the light where it is needed the most. For this purpose, he used bulbs as lamps. The PH 80 is one of the Henningsen family of lights with three shades. Henningsen created not only a light fixture, but a whole system. Around 1000 different models were developed in the course of the years. Poul Henningsen was the first person to have a scientific approach of lighting. As a base, he used the Lituus curve. For this purpose, he achieved an even illumination around the shade. Precisely this light emission made possible to control glare and shadows in connection with the diffuse reflection through the glass. Because of the distance to the lamp, each shade can reduce the same amount of light. PH 80 is based on the three-shade system forming the Lituus curve. PH 80, the light's model number, does not refers to the diameter of the upper shade, as it is usually the case for the other models with the three-shades system. Instead, the light was named PH 80 as an homage to Poul Henningsen's 80th birthday that was celebrated in 1974, the year when the light fixture was launched. The original PH 80 from 1974 has its upper reflector in characteristic red, which provides a warm, atmospherical illumination. The opaline acrylic shades create a fresh appearance and illuminate the surroundings at the same time with an appealing, diffuse light. Later, the PH 80 was introduced into the market as a black/white version. This version had a smoother surface on the base as the coarse structure of the classical PH 80. The black version of the PH 80 is equipped with a black end plate and a white upper reflector. These elements ensure an elegant, simple appearance and a pleasant light emission. Base and stem come in matt black and establish a wonderful contrast to the opaline acrylic shades, so that a graphic appearance is created. With the white version, the PH 80 light range is expanded with a minimalistic, white design. The upper reflector and the end plate as well as the stem are white. The monochrome colour scheme complements the PH 80 light range with modern and discreet alternatives to the classical PH 80.
View the collection Louis Poulsen PH 80