Louis Poulsen PH 5 Pendant Light, 1958

PH 5 pendant light by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen.

Rooted in a painstaking analysis of the reflective qualities of light, Poul Henningsen’s PH 5 light is recognised as a classic of Danish design and is notable for its innovative glare-free form and uniform illumination.

Henningsen developed the PH 5 pendant light in 1958 in response to constant changes to the shape and size of incandescent bulbs by bulb manufacturers. The light derives its name from the 50cm diameter of the shade. Irrespective of how the light is installed or the light source used, the PH 5 is completely glare-free, due to Henningsen’s ingenious three-shade system.

The integration of a red cone and a coloured reflector inside the shade also generates a warmer tone of light by subduing the green-yellow light generated (human eyes are most sensitive to this region of the spectrum).