The VL 45 Radiohus Pendant never grows old
Louis Poulsen kicks off 2025 with exciting news from one of Denmark’s most renowned designers, the architect Vilhelm Lauritzen. This spring, his timeless and much-loved VL 45 Radiohus Pendant will be introduced in two beautiful new colours, featuring four layers of mouth-blown glass and untreated brass with fine hairlines.
Vilhelm Lauritzen’s VL 45 Radiohus Pendant has never been more relevant with its poetic shape, perfect, uniform light and longevity. The design has always oozed quiet luxury, before that was even a thing, and it has a way of discreetly lifting any space, be it a kitchen, hallway or living room.
There is good reason for this. His name is Vilhelm Theodor Lauritzen (1894-1984). He was not only famous for his modernist buildings and an authority in Danish architecture’s golden age, but also a lighting expert. He prioritised designing the fixtures and fittings for his buildings himself, and several of his lamps have become design icons that remain popular to this day.
Complementing the PH lamp
The VL 45 Radiohus Pendant was initially known as ‘The Office Lamp’, when Lauritzen designed it for the Radio House (Radiohuset), the Danish Broadcasting Corporation headquarters, his highly acknowledged total artwork in Copenhagen, which was officially inaugurated in 1945, just after the end of World War II.
Lauritzen recognized the need for another take on the classic spherical pendant and the popular PH lamp. He was acquainted with Poul Henningsen and often publically discussed lighting and lamp shapes with him in LP-Nyt, the Louis Poulsen magazine, where Henningsen served as editor.
With the elegant VL 45 Radiohus Pendant design, Vilhelm Lauritzen created an expressive alternative to the PH lamp, perfectly combining a downward and precise working light with an overall soft and more diffused, glare-free light.
Poetic and practical
Like other modernist architects of the time, Vilhelm Lauritzen focused on function. He became one of Denmark’s most innovative architects, and form follows function became a mantra of modernism.
The glossy opal glass lamp draws you in with its simplistic beauty and provides a pleasant glare-free light, while also being highly practical. It is easy to change the light bulb and to clean. Every aspect of the pendant is well thought out, making it a popular choice for distinctive interiors today, regardless of the style. In the 1950s, it was photographed in the home of architect duo Charles and Ray Eames in Los Angeles.
More styling choices
The VL 45 Radiohus Pendant will soon be available in two additional colours alongside the original Opal White and the Pale Rose versions. The pendant will come in glossy Pale Yellow and Amber, providing further options for styling and creating warmer and cosier lighting. Discover how they completely transform in light and colour when turned on and off. Both options feature original untreated brushed brass fittings, which will patinate over time, enhancing the pendant’s subtle, exclusive look and feel.
Vilhelm Lauritzen
Vilhelm Lauritzen played a significant role in the history of Danish architecture. He was a pioneer of Danish functionalism and designed several notable buildings, including Nørrebro Theatre (1931-32), the department store Daells Varehus (1928-35), the headquarters of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation known as Radiohuset (1936-41) and the first airport terminal in Copenhagen (1937-39), as well as other significant works later on.
Lauritzen firmly believed that there is no life without aesthetics, and this philosophy is evident in all of his work, whether it be buildings or light fittings.
He also held the principle that architecture is applied art. He had a deep understanding of daylight and artificial light and always worked thoroughly with sculpting light and shade by placing windows in a building to fully benefit its users.
Vilhelm Lauritzen applied the same thoughtfulness and diligence to his lamp designs, combining direct illumination to create defined shadows with a milder, more diffuse light that softened and shaded spaces.
Lauritzen had a talent for creating a wonderfully pleasant atmosphere with light, which was evident in his work at Radiohuset. This was the first time he designed light fixtures specifically for a building while also designing it. From the mid 1940s until today, several of his extraordinary lamps have been available in the Louis Poulsen catalogues.
More design by Vilhelm Lauritzen:
The VL 45 Radiohus Pendant design by Vilhelm Lauritzen – Louis Poulsen
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