Some lamps tell a story. The AJ series by Arne Jacobsen, born in 1957 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, is one of them: it is one of the zeniths of Danish functionalism, still produced by Louis Poulsen. An overview of a lighting family that has become an icon.
Arne Jacobsen, the architect of detail
Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) was not just an architect: he conceived his buildings as total works of art, from the structural work down to the door handles. This principle, the "gesamtkunstwerk," led him to design furniture, cutlery, and lighting. We owe him the Egg, Swan, and Ant chairs – and the AJ lamp.
A lamp born in a manifesto hotel
When Jacobsen designed the SAS Royal Hotel (inaugurated in 1960), Copenhagen's first skyscraper, he designed absolutely everything in it. The AJ series then lit the rooms, the lobby, and the corridors. Its graphic silhouette – a sleek stand and a shade angled like a visor – intentionally contrasts with the curves of the Egg and Swan armchairs surrounding it.
Form and light
The AJ shade is adjustable and painted white on the inside: the light, directed downward, becomes soft and precise, perfect for reading or working without glare. This is the entire philosophy of Louis Poulsen – "form follows function" – summarized in a single object.
The entire AJ family
The series is now available for every use:
- Tabletop: the AJ table lamp, its compact version the AJ Mini, and the vertical AJ Oxford designed for St Catherine's College in Oxford.
- Floor: the AJ floor lamp, the ideal reading lamp next to a sofa.
- Wall: the AJ wall lamp with cord or without cord, its outdoor version, and the domed AJ Eklipta in opal glass.
- Ceiling: the AJ Royal pendant, with downward light, for over a table.
A palette designed for today
Over the years, Louis Poulsen has evolved the AJ colors to suit contemporary interiors: alongside black, white, and polished stainless steel, there are softer shades such as warm grey, sand, dusty blue, pale petroleum, electric orange, or soft lemon.
How to choose your AJ lamp?
For a desk or bedside table, the table lamp or the AJ Mini is sufficient. For a reading corner, the floor lamp is a must. As a wall lamp, the version without a cord offers the most minimalist look, while the Eklipta and the outdoor version are moisture-resistant. Want to see everything? Browse the complete AJ collection in our shop.