At Pensar, we’re typically working on a variety consumer and medical technologies, allowing us to dive deep and craft a product from the ground up. During these long stretches of work, often measured in years, we get inspired by the everyday objects around us. Every so often, we’ll pursue an object as a study to allow us to experiment with process, interaction, form, or finish. The ping pong paddle shown here is purely an industrial design concept.
While not ITTF* compliant, it’s a paddle we would love to build and take for a spin. As an object, we were initially drawn to the fact it is clearly divided into two distinct zones: tool (paddle portion) and the human contact area (handle). We wanted to explore what it would be like to blend the two zones, and utilize texture as the indicator of function. The texture of the pips is heaviest in the center then fades as it moves away to create a gentler grip and eventually a completely smooth reverse side.