Poul Henningsen designed the three-shade system in 1925-1926. Together with Louis Poulsen, PH designed the first lamps to use this system for an exhibition in Paris. The collaboration between the two continued until his death in 1967. Throughout his life, PH sought to create direct, glare-free lighting where it was most needed. He also used incandescent bulbs as a light source to create soft shadows. The PH 3/2 Suspended is part of the three-shade family, which now numbers 30 lights, including three for outdoor use. PH therefore designed not just one light but an entire system; over the years, around a thousand different models have been created. This extensive selection included table lamps, floor lamps and wall lamps, as well as a series of chandeliers that were very popular in the 1930s for illuminating private homes with high ceilings. There were endless possible combinations. The lights came in different colours and sizes. The earliest shades were made of metal, with an underside painted white, gold or silver, depending on whether a warm, cool or diffuse light was desired. Later, glass was used for the three-shade system. In addition to projecting light downward, the glass lamps illuminated the rest of the room. PH was the first person to take a scientific approach to light and base it on the lituus curve. By using a design based on the lituus curve, he achieved an even distribution of light across the entire curve of the shade. This even distribution, together with diffuse reflection through the glass, allowed glare and shadows to be controlled. Each shade reduces the amount of light equally due to its distance from the light source. The PH light model number refers to the size of the shade. Each top shade had a corresponding set of middle and bottom shades. In “pure” models, such as the 2/2, the top shade is about 20 cm, with corresponding bottom shades. The PH 3/2 Suspended consists of an upper shade of approximately 30 cm, but uses lower shades from the 2/2 model. These “hybrid” models were created to meet the desire to hang ceiling lamps at a lower height.