Designing lamps that stand the test of time has been a central design principle at Louis Poulsen , ever since teaming up with lighting design mastermind Poul Henningsen in the 1920s. To continue this proud 100-year-long tradition, Louis Poulsen is exploring ways to build on the inherent longevity of these products. With a firm belief in recycling and upcycling, Louis Poulsen is continuously working on new ways of reusing products and materials. This includes transforming flawed products into treasured new lamps. The raw PH 5 Retake, which is based on the classic, best-selling PH 5, is a perfect example. The transition process from a vintage or imperfect PH 5—for example, with a dent or slight surface irregularities—to a one-of-a-kind PH 5 Retake involves removing the paint from each pendant. This allows the aesthetics of the aluminium shades and the lower steel shade to emerge with remarkable raw nuances. At the end of the process, the PH 5 Retake is coated with a dry lubricant to protect its metal parts. Without further treatment, the metal will patinate beautifully over time, giving each pendant its own characteristic expression.
Louis Poulsen continues to improve on the inherent longevity of its products with the new, raw and upcycled PH 5 Retake, bringing this classic design into a new era.
With a firm belief in recycling and upcycling, Louis Poulsen is continuously researching and experimenting with how to best reuse materials and products, including transforming flawed products into treasured new lamps—like the new PH 5 Retake. This unique lamp with a raw finish is made from shelved PH 5s that might have crooked shades, irregularities or dents, while using minimal resources.
The transition process from a vintage or an imperfect PH 5 to a one-of-a-kind PH 5 Retake involves removing the paint from each pendant, allowing the aesthetics of the aluminium shades and the lower steel shade to emerge in varied remarkable raw nuances. The pendant is then fully retrofitted, upgrading it with the latest technology.
— David Obel Rosenkvist, Chief Commercial & Creative Officer at Louis Poulsen
The perspectives of recycling and upcycling are consistent with Louis Poulsen’s central design principle of designing lamps that last for generations, which has been a steadfast aim, since teaming up with lighting design mastermind Poul Henningsen in the 1920s.
A classic example is the iconic PH 5 pendant from 1958, which to this day is still one of the most famous and bestselling Louis Poulsen designs of all times. By virtue of its durability and timeless design, it is testament to the underlying circularity of all Louis Poulsen product designs in general – now taken to the next level with the upcycled version PH 5 Retake.
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