Ping Pong tables revisited by creative people. As objects that are fixed in public spaces for a long time, they play a major role in shaping our parks and recreational locations. ThinkPong, as its name suggests, sees in these tables an artistic platform of expression and objects of thought and respect for the environment.
Table Tennis offers both an exciting gaming experience, an excellent aerobic exercise and can be played by everyone, supporting therefore active ageing. It is described as “the ultimate stress reliever, the mental block breaker”, "so good, not even hipsters can ruin it". When played outdoors, becomes “the ideal social sport” bringing people together in our neighbourhoods.
ThinkPong seeks to unite the artistic and sports communities and embrace the creativity and celebration.
Open call to artists, architects, designers, artisans, anybody with a good idea. The designs can be presented anonymously to the residents of the area to vote. Preferably in 3D so people can get a good idea of what they look like.
3D printing in collaboration with experts, creates an exciting event, where everybody can watch the table as it gets printed.
ThinkPong plans to make the tables available to the public for free, by using a combination of financial strategies (Sponsorships with table "adoptions", crowdfunding, merchandising etc.) that are inspired by two successful initiatives: the Cowparade Holdings AG and Ping London.
The companies or individuals wishing to “adopt” a table will have their name or logo engraved on a metal plaque adhered to the side of the table. Or we could offer a custom metal net pattern formed from the repetition of the sponsor’s logo.
We are convinced these multipurpose tables will be embraced by both the public and the private sector for Homes, Gardens, Parks, Schools, Hotels and Resorts, Companies, Retirement Communities, Shopping Centres, Sport Centers, Clubs, Hospitals, Prisons, Museums, Railway Stations, Airports. Further ThinkPong Tables will be available for sale from our Website’s Shop as well as custom metallic nets and other merchandising products.
A few of Playandvision's tables collection are displayed on this website. We are currently researching wooden materials for outside use.
The designers of the tables stay anonymous until the voting has taken place.
The ITTF dictates that an official ping pong table is a rectangle 2.74 m long and 1.525 m wide, which is about 9 by 5 feet. The table top must be 76 cm above the floor and be level across the entire surface.
Some recreational ping pong tables meet the dimension specifications of an official table, but they are not required to do so.
Recreational tables measuring 274 cm x 152.5 cm are usually marketed as "tournament-size", "meets IFTT standards" or "competition size". Other tables can be significantly smaller. Some recreational tables are only 213.36 x 106.68 cm or smaller. These tables are often described by the manufacturer as "midsize" or "mini."
The table can be made of any material that results in a 23 cm high bounce when a standard ping pong ball is dropped on it from a height of 30 cm. The (official) table must be a uniformly dark color with a white line, 2 cm thick, painted along all four edges. For doubles, an additional line, 3 mm wide, is drawn perpendicular to the net, down the center of the table, dividing the table into two, 0.76 m, equal half-courts.
A net shall run horizontally across the entire 1.525 m-width of the table, dividing the table into two, equal, 1.37 m, lengths. The top of the net is 15.25 cm above the playing surface.
Our pingpong group is the perfect example of such a social interaction. In the neighbourhood around Am Wasser, there is only one (aged) table in the park Voglière Höngg, (Hardeggstrasse 14, 8049 Zürich), where we gather on a daily basis, by good weather, from 6 to 20 people.
Sometimes we bring to the park our own portable pingpong table so more people can play at the same time.
Everybody in our (unofficial) club is excited at the idea to have as many as possible (4?) Thinkpong tables in the Park am Wasser 2022.
The Playandvision project forwards ideas that explore the pursuit of the Epicurean definition of happiness.
Play stands for recreation and fun, as well as for performing music/ theater. Vision stands for visual arts and visionary ideas.
Das Projekt Playandvision fördert Ideen, die das Glück im Sinne der epikureischen Definition erforschen.
Play steht für Erholung und Spass, aber auch für Musik und Theater. Vision steht für visuelle Kunst und visionäre Ideen.
www.playandvision.org
CONTACT
Thomas Wollenberger
+41 79 604 11 33
email:
we@thinkpong.org
websites:
www.thinkpong.org
www.galanouwollenberger.com
The ThinkPong Project was developed by Evita Galanou, Thomas Wollenberger, Vera Zefki.
Playandvision logo: Aus der Zeichnung "Zum Tanz des trauernden Kindes", Paul Klee, 1921.
Website Evita Galanou.
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