Standing beneath the giant, human-sized outer leaves of the world’s largest PH Artichoke lamp is a unique way to seek shade from the Copenhagen sun. A Heart of Light, an installation created for this year’s 3DaysofDesign by artists Oliver Sundqvist and Frederik Nystrup-Larsen, offered an innovative display of the genius of one of Poul Henningsen’s most famous creations. Designed in 1958, the sculptural form, carefully constructed to eliminate any glare, remains extremely popular today. Walking beneath it – and “exposing its many layers,” as Sundqvist describes it – allows one to admire the mastery of light and shadow that makes it such an icon.
Sundqvist and Nystrup-Larsen’s interpretation, which, if implemented, would result in a ‘PH Artichoke’ 12 times the size of the original, is a great way to mark a very significant milestone. This year marks Louis Poulsen’s 150th anniversary, so it is certainly a time for impressive gestures. Deciding which lamp to promote in such a year could be difficult when you have such an illustrious history as that of this Danish brand, but it is a task that, according to Oliver Nieto-Tröger, PR and Marketing Manager at Louis Poulsen, “has proven to be an exciting challenge”.
The collaboration between Louis Poulsen and Henningsen was a logical starting point. The designer was the first to work with the company in 1924. He designed many pieces, from the ‘PH Luminaire’ made for the Forum building in Copenhagen, to his lampposts for the Tivoli Gardens, which demonstrated his expertise in solving wartime problems – they directed the light downwards but made the glow invisible from above to thwart fighter planes – and the ‘PH5’, a classic that is now ubiquitous in chic homes around the world.
The latter is the second of three designs, including PH Artichoke, that are being reissued in an anniversary edition. The third is Arne Jacobsen’s AJ Mini, an essential desk element that was first installed in the SAS Royal Copenhagen Hotel and can still be found in this towering city landmark today.
Each of the three designs is presented in a combination of pale pink and bright white with brass details. This combination highlights the quality of the light they emit and the beauty of their shapes. “We treat our traditional designs with great respect and carefully preserve their essence even as we introduce new colors, materials and finishes,” says Nieto-Tröger. “The collaboration with the Henningsen and Jacobsen families ensures that each new edition honors their timeless heritage.”
Only 300 of each reinterpreted design will be sold. Those lucky enough to snap up one of the collectibles will also receive a copy of First House of Light, a new book that tells the story of Louis Poulsen. Published by Phaidon and written by TF Chan (in a soft pink hue to match the new lights), the coffee table book details the contributions of masters such as Henningsen and Jacobsen, as well as Vilhelm Lauritzen and Verner Panton, but also looks at the collaborations the brand has worked on in recent years, from the otherworldly ‘OE Quasi Light’ by artist Olafur Eliasson to the architectural ‘Moonsetter’ by rising Danish star Anne Boysen. Full of never-before-seen photographs and anecdotes, the book is a true testament to a brand with a storied past and an equally bright future, with more product launches to come in this important year.
Also look out for the new colour variants of the PH5 and PH5 Mini – Burgundy and Dusty Indigo, inspired by the blue-red tones of Henningsen’s three-shade system, chosen to improve lighting quality before the invention of daylight-like light bulbs – as well as Pale Pewter and Pale Blush. Also coming soon is a new version of the PH2/1 table lamp, with limited edition dusty terracotta shades on an aged brass base.
Louis Poulsen is still ready to innovate and inspire. CEO Søren Mygind Eskildsen says: “When Ludvig Poulsen founded his family business in 1874, I don’t think he would have dared to dream of where we would be 150 years later.” louispoulsen.com
