Living with masterpiece lighting "PH Lamp"

Yuichiro Noguchi
Aug 31
3 min read

　There are many lighting with good designs at any time, but there are only a limited number of things that can really be called masterpieces. While the definition of good design is different for everyone, the title of masterpiece can only be given to those who are recognized by themselves and others.

So what is the "definition of masterpiece lighting"? Isn't it "continue to be loved beyond the ages"?

At the 1925 Paris World Expo, the "Paris Lamp" was announced with six disc-shaped shades designed to cover the light bulb, designed by Paul Henningsen of Denmark, not long after the invention of the light bulb. However, the design was not sophisticated, and the copper alloy shade only reflected the light of the bulb as it was.

We will make further improvements with Lewis Paulsen, which was in charge of production, to create more complete lighting. It will be the first model of the "PH lamp" that is still manufactured and sold at Louis Paulsen today.

Many of the lighting fixtures in the 1920s were directly visible to the light bulb filament, so although the room was brighter, the light was dazzling. Therefore, Paul Henningsen's goal is to create glare-free "unglared lighting".

Nordic countries, including Denmark, have a culture that values light since ancient times because of the short hours of sunlight and bad weather. Because it is such a Nordic country, it is inevitable to stick to lighting, and it has created the idea that it will also improve the quality of living.

The attitude of pursuing light that is friendly to people who emphasize the quality of light by eliminating glare can be said to be the biggest feature common to Nordic lighting. While architects and designers enrolled in Bauhaus in Germany at the same time emphasized geometric forms, Nordic architects and designers such as Koa Klint, Paul Henningsen, and Alba Aalto were friendly to people. I designed the lighting with an emphasis on preparing the boundary.

Among them, Paul Henningsen is called the "father of modern lighting" because of his excellent lighting theory and philosophy, and from the gentle light emitted from the shade using the logarithmic spiral curve of the representative work "PH Lamp", the real beauty of not just shaping It's something I feel.

Paul Henningsen's "PH Lamp", which was born from his own idea, was supported by many modanists from the beginning, including Denmark's Arne Jacobsen, Finn Yul, and Bohe Moensen, who represented the 20th century. It is also used in buildings and residences by many masters, such as the architect of Tsu, Mies van del Loe, and Alba Aalto of Finland.

It is easy to describe "people-friendly lighting" in words, but it is difficult to actually shape it. In the 1920s, Paul Henningsen thought of turning the dazzling and cold light of light bulbs into a warm light light while shifting from the era of spending the night in the light of oil lamps to light bulbs. After that, by continuing to pursue it for decades, we arrived at the ideal lighting.

Because it is a "PH lamp" that was born in that way, it has attracted people around the world with its design that does not feel old even today, about 100 years have passed.

I feel that many of the designs that were born in the rich era have become more functional or changed into fashionable shapes. Functional things are replaced by more convenient ones, and trendy designs are becoming obsolete with the times...

A real masterpiece is something that satisfies people's universal desires and can find value just by having them. I feel that the encounter with such masterpieces will enrich our lives a little.