PH 2/1 Pendant

Poul Henningsen developed the three-shade system in 1925–26 for the Paris exhibition, working with Louis Poulsen to create glare-free, diffused light via a logarithmic-spiral geometry — a concept that grew to around a thousand models. The PH 2/1 Pendant pairs a 20 cm top shade with smaller lower shades for even light at lower hanging heights, a timeless example of PH's scientific approach.

Henningsen — architect, writer and critic as much as designer — saw electric light as a social question: the harsh bare bulbs of the 1920s deserved better. His answer, rewarded with a gold medal at the 1925 Paris International Exposition of Decorative and Industrial Arts, was a mathematically derived shade geometry in which every curve follows a logarithmic spiral, so light strikes each shade at a consistent angle and is reflected downwards without ever revealing the bulb. The 2/1 is among the smallest pendants in the system: the "2" denotes its 20 cm top shade, the "1" the smallest lower-shade set, making it ideal where a full-size PH pendant would overwhelm.

That modest diameter is precisely its strength in contemporary homes. Hung low over a small dining table, a kitchen counter or a bedside in place of a table lamp, the PH 2/1 gives comfortable, shadow-soft light without dominating the room — well suited to the compact ceiling heights of city apartments across Asia. Hang a pair or trio at staggered heights for a quietly sculptural effect. Compare sizes across the family in our pendant lamps collection, see the wider Louis Poulsen range, or read our PH 5 pendant buying guide to understand how the PH sizes relate.

Light source: E14, 1 bulb, max 45 W; dimmable with a dimmable bulb. IP20, indoor. Bulb not included — we recommend an E14 LED (4–4.5 W, 470 lm).