Designed by Simon P. Henningsen
From a young age, Simon P. Henningsen learned about the impact of different kinds of light and the qualities of lighting from his father, the legendary Danish architect and lighting designer, Poul Henningsen. The two worked together on various design tasks for the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and in 1948, Simon succeeded his father and became chief architect in the amusement park.
Today, Simon P. Henningsen’s work is characterised by a distinctive whimsical and geometric aesthetic and his use of reflections and shimmering surfaces. His unique designs are collector’s items and still admired across the world.
DIVAN 2 is known and loved for its colorful interplay of light, creating a captivating experience that changes with the viewer’s position. The light source is obscured and completely glare-free. The cascading effect happens when the light hits the vertically arranged trapezoids. On the inside, they are lacquered in different colors, causing a fascinating display of light to flow into the room.
1962
Origin story
In 1962, Simon P. Henningsen designed a new pendant for the Divan 2 restaurant in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen. The restaurant offered spectacular views over the garden lake, and at night, the pendant’s mirrored surfaces were designed to catch the light from the colorful exterior lighting and the lake. When it was time for the famous fireworks, the lights inside the restaurant would dim, and the lamps ascended towards the ceiling to allow guests an unobscured view of the show. The success of the DIVAN 2 went well beyond Copenhagen’s beloved amusement park as LYFA started offering the lamp for the general public. DIVAN 2 was bestowed with several Danish and international design awards. In 1963, it was even exhibited at the Louvre in Paris.
