PH 5 Mini

Description

The fixture provides 100% glare-free light. Its design is based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs majority of the light downwards. The fixture emits both downward and lateral light, thus illuminating itself.

Poul Henningsen developed the PH 5 in 1958 in response to constant changes made to the shape and size of incandescent bulbs by bulb manufacturers, naming it after the size of the pendant’s main shade, which is 50 cm in diameter.

When the lamp was introduced, he wrote, typically daringly, about how he had lost faith that the manufacturers of incandescent light bulbs would ever learn to consider common sense or have the consumer’s best interest at heart: “I have accepted fate, and with Louis Poulsen´s permission I have designed a PH fixture, which can be used with any kind of light source, Christmas lights and 100 W metal filament bulbs.

Although a fluorescent tube would be too much to ask in the existing form!” At the time, now one knew that the PH 5 would become synonymous with the PH light, which remains 100% glare-free, irrespective of how the light is installed or which light source is used.

Today, PH 5 continues to elevate even the most modern interiors, as does the PH 5 Mini with a top shade diameter of 30 centimetres, introduced in the spirit of Poul Henningsen in 2017. Louis Poulsen wishes to cater to contemporary and creative living, and therefore resized the famous pendant for the first time.

In 2020, the PH 5 Mini Monochrome series is introduced to emphasize this striking design for a more current look. The mat painted metal shades come in black, white, and in ultra blue for the bolder decorator.

Technical Detail

Design Year: 1958

Made-in: Denmark

Light source: 1x20W E14

Material: white matt lacquered aluminum

Anti-glare shade: blue

Struts: purple, rolled aluminum

Canopy: Provided

Cord length: 3 m

Cord type: White fabric

Size: W300 x H163 x L300 mm

Weight: 0.9kg

Designer

Poul Henningsen , 1925-1926

The very influential Danish designer, architect, writer, and cultural critic, Poul Henningsen (1894-1967), has had a huge impact on Danish thinking and design. His legacy is an integrated part of Louis Poulsen’s endeavor to shape light.

Poul Henningsen was born in Copenhagen in 1894 as the son of the Danish writers Agnes Henningsen and Carl Ewald. He started practicing traditional functionalist architecture, but over the years his professional interests changed to focus mainly on lighting, which is what he is most famous for.

He also expanded his field of occupation into areas of writing, becoming a journalist and an author. For a short period at the beginning of WWII, he was the head architect of the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. But like many other creative people, he was forced to flee Denmark during the German occupation but soon became a vital part of the Danish colony of artists living 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 was also the first editor of the company magazine “NYT”. The CEO of Louis Poulsen at the time, Sophus Kaastrup-Olsen, gave the magazine to PH as a gift because he had been terminated from the Danish newspaper he worked for (his opinions were too radical).

Poul Henningsen's pioneering work concerning the relations between light structures, shadows, glare, and color reproduction—compared to man’s need for light remains the fondation of the lighting theories still practiced by Louis Poulsen.

In 1924, Poul Henningsen created his influential Paris lamp for Louis Poulsen, and the origin of how we still design to shape light can directly be traced back to his views on the dualities of design and light.

Founded in 1874, Louis Poulsen is a Danish lighting manufacturer born out of the Scandinavian design tradition where form follows function. The function and design of our products are tailored to reflect and support the rhythm of natural light. Every detail in the design has a purpose. Every design starts and ends with light.

We believe in passionate craftsmanship that produces quality lighting and design products that are pleasing to the eye and to the light.

In close partnership with designers, architects and other talents like Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øivind Slaatto, Alfred Homann, Oki Sato and Louise Campbell, we have established ourselves as one of the key global suppliers of architectural and decorative lighting. Defying traditional product categories, our products serve and span the professional and private lighting markets for both indoor and outdoor applications.