Danish Navy Pendant Light

The Doo Wop pendant light by Poul Henningsen has been a true classic since the 1950s. It was designed in close collaboration between Søværnets Bygningsdistrikt (the Danish Navy’s Building Administration) and Louis Poulsen . For decades, the Doo Wop was used for various purposes in Danish Navy buildings, such as in cafeterias and offices. The “Navy pendant lamp,” as it was called, was widely used due to its excellent lighting qualities and versatility. It wasn’t until the early 1980s that it disappeared from the Louis Poulsen catalog. In recent years, more and more of the older versions have entered the market through antique shops and auctions. This has sparked renewed demand, along with calls to resume production.

Reissue in contemporary colors

The new version remains extremely faithful to the original. However, the colors have been updated to reflect current trends, while the manufacturing processes have remained the same. The shades are hand-turned and finished with a slight curve, which gives the shade a distinctive visual depth. Doo Wop is an understated and simple pendant light that, thanks to its medium size and light distribution, is versatile in its applications. It features a harmonious design and looks just as excellent when hung alone as it does in rows or clusters. Doo Wop sets the mood in the living room, dining room, kitchen, home office, children’s room, entryway, on the stairs, and in the bedroom—in short, it brings a breath of fresh air and excellent lighting to every living space.

Two reflectors for glare-free, pleasant light

Essentially, the Doo Wop features two reflectors—the inner conical one, which provides glare-free downward light, and the outer one, which creates soft upward and downward illumination. The outer shade, in particular, helps create a pleasant and atmospheric ambiance near the pendant light. The Doo Wop is available in various versions. All versions are equipped with an E27 socket. The lamp’s design allows for the use of various light bulbs without compromising light quality; however, it is recommended not to use bulbs with a color rendering index below 85, as this would reduce color rendering and the atmosphere in the room.

Architecture and Lighting: Poul Henningsen

Poul Henningsen was born in Copenhagen, the son of the famous Danish actress Agnes Henningsen. He did not earn a degree in architecture, but studied at the Frederiksberg Technical School from 1911 to 1914 and then at the Technical College in Copenhagen from 1914 to 1917. He also began to apply traditional functionalist architecture. However, his professional interest soon focused primarily on lighting design—and that is what he is famous for.

Exquisitely Designed Lighting— Louis Poulsen

The Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen , founded in 1874, creates products that embody the duality of design and light. Every detail of a design serves a specific purpose. Every design begins and ends with light. Louis Poulsen offers a wide selection of lighting solutions for indoor and outdoor use, covering both professional applications and residential settings. In close collaboration with designers and architects such as Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øivind Slaatto, Alfred Homann, Clara von Zweigbergk, nendo – Oki Sato, and GamFratesi, Louis Poulsen has established itself as one of the world’s leading providers of architectural and decorative lighting.