This article originally appeared on Architectural Lighting.
The PH 5 pendant, originally designed by Danish architect and designer Poul Henningsen in 1958, is a luminaire that has achieved design icon status. A bestseller for 60 years for Copenhagen, Denmark–based lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen, to celebrate the fixture's six decade milestone, in February, the company announced the release of eight new gradient colorways for the pendant: classic white, new white modern, hues of orange, hues of rose, hues of red, hues of green, hues of blue, and hues of gray.
The luminaire is comprised of a five-layer shade system that softly filters light through each of its spun aluminum rings. The unusual form is integral in providing even illumination and eliminating glare and was the result of Henningsen’s experimentation as he developed the design. In fact, Henningsen's first iteration of the pendant in 1926, had a three-shade system instead of five, and was “…inspired by his mother’s wish for softer and more flattering light in an era when homes were still transitioning to electric lighting and incandescent bulbs,” according to a Louis Poulsen press release. It was only after lamps became standardized that Henningsen added two more shade rings to the now electrically powered pendant in order to achieve the same glare-free, uniform light originally achieved by the three-shade system.
This is not the first time Louis Poulsen has updated the beloved luminaire. In October 2017, the manufacturer launched a PH 5 Mini line, which measures 30 cm (12”) in diameter (the original design is 50 cm/19.5”), “to cater to contemporary and creative living,” according to the manufacturer’s release. The smaller pendants were the first to feature the eight new colorways that are now offered for the regular-sized pendant. On the decision to expand the color offerings, Rasmus Markholt, idea and design director at Louis Poulsen said, “We wanted to celebrate the lamp’s six-decade legacy by expanding the PH 5 family to complement any space and open it up for new, modern, and personal expression. The lamps can be subtly incorporated into existing décor—or bring a bold pop of color.”
For more details about the luminaire visit the Louis Poulsen website. U.S. customers should contact Louis Poulsen USA whose offices are located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
