Henningsen Poul

Biography

'PH' was a Danish architect who was also involved in writing political literature and cinema. His main passion however, was for lighting. During his career he designed a number of remarkable buildings and pieces of furniture, but most notably, he created over 100 innovative lighting designs in conjunction with Louis Poulsen & Co.

The theory he implemented in his lighting designs was that the direct light from the source should never be visible to the viewer. He therefore used layers of shades in varying positions, colours and materials to spread the light whilst obscuring the bulb. These shades tamed the electric light source and softened it to a glow, similar to that of an oil lamp.