Poul Henningsen designed the three-shade-system back in 1925-26. In collaboration with Louis Poulsen, Henningsen designed the first lamps to use the system for an exhibition in Paris. This partnership continued up until Henningsen's death in 1967. Throughout his life, Henningsen sought to create direct, glare-free light that provided illumination where it was needed most—and to create soft shadows, using incandescent bulbs as a light source.

PH 80 belongs to Henningsen’s three-shade family. Henningsen did not just design a light—he designed an entire system, with around a thousand different models being produced over the years. Henningsen was the first to pursue a scientific approach to lighting, using a logarithmic spiral as his starting point.