Product Description
The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of mouth-blown opal three-layer glass, which is glossy on top and sandblasted matt on the underside, giving a soft and diffuse light distribution.
- glare free light
- symmetric light distribution
- the opal glass and matte undersurface reflect the light downwards
- design icon
- exclusive product
- the fixture illuminates itself
- timeless design
- belongs to a family which includes floor and pendant models
Poul Henningsen designed the three-shade system back in 1925-1926. The first lights using the system were designed by PH in cooperation with Louis Poulsen for an exhibition in Paris. This partnership continued up until his death in 1967. Throughout his life, PH sought to create glare-free light, direct light where it was most needed, and create soft shadows, using incandescent bulbs as a light source. PH 4½-3½ Glass Table is a member of the three-shade family which numbers 18 lights today, including three for outdoor use. Thus PH did not just design a light, but an entire system – around a thousand different models have been produced over the years.
PH was the first person to pursue a scientific approach to light and use the logarithmic spiral as a basis. By using a design based on the logarithmic spiral he achieved even distribution of light over the entire curve of the shade. This even light distribution, together with the diffuse reflection through the glass, made it possible to control glare and shadow. Each shade reduces the amount of light equally, due to their distance from the light source. The PH light model numbers refer to the shade size.
