Master of lamp-making

Imagine being so wrapped up in your profession! Poul Henningsen, or "PH" as he was commonly known, was something of a light nerd and a gifted inventor. Throughout his life, he developed lampshades to improve the quality of light in the room.

Shade solution
Poul Henningsen discovered that frosted-surface shades reflected light without any glare. And that the curve of the shade controlled the direction of light. So-called PH lamps became world-famous because of these practical features and their sculptural design. The powerful multi-layered design of PH Artichoke, created for Copenhagen's waterfront Langelinie Pavilion in 1958, can still be seen in the restaurant today.

The Norm 69 lamp puzzle designed by architect Simon Karkov in 1969 and put into production by Normann Copenhagen in 2002, makes several references to the PH Artichoke, although Norm 69 has its own unique puzzle design with no glue or tools needed for assembly.

Everything interconnected
Everything was interconnected for PH. His improved lamp designs became a major hit that would turn out to have a positive impact on production and health and safety at work, but not least on people's quality of life. PH was not just a designer. He was an ardent social critic, founding the Critical Revue(Kritisk Revy) magazine in 1926 in addition to writing books, revue songs and discussion pieces for other media.

Design to improve Life
PH expressed his social engagement in his design work. He wanted his inventions to make a difference; beauty and elegance were not enough. PH's designs are fusions of invention, design and workmanship. His opinion that design should make a difference is reflected even today, for example in the world's most important design and innovation prizes awarded by Danish Index:2005 - "Design to improve Life". According to Index, design is one of the media capable of solving specific problems in the third world such as polluted drinking water. "Lifestraw", a straw that filters water when it is sucked up, was awarded one of the prizes. This just shows that contemporary design - in the true spirit of PH - is capable of improving the lives of many people.

Charlotte Jul is design writer and editor at KUNSTUFF, a Danish handicraft and design magazine.