aluminum ping-pong table plays meditative sounds every time the ball hits the plates

"At Design Miami.Paris 2025, artist James de Wulf unveils a ping-pong table with aluminum plates that plays meditative sounds every time the ball hits the surface. On view at L'hôtel de Maisons in Paris between October 22nd and 26th, 2025, the Resonating Ping Pong Table, Song No. 1 (2025) is reminiscent of a xylophone and sound bath in one, as the project isn't only made for playing table tennis but also doubles as a musical instrument in the form of healing vibrations."

"There are six different notes, and they are tuned to the A Minor Pentatonic scale, which is a musical scale often used to create calm and balanced sounds. When a player hits the ball, the vibration from the impact makes the metal plate vibrate, producing a sound that matches one of these notes. As the game continues and the ball moves across different parts of the table, each hit creates a new tone."

"The top of the ping-pong table by artist James de Wulf is made from anodized aluminum to strengthen the metal, protect it from rusting, and improve the sound quality by helping the plates vibrate more clearly. The body of the table is varnished, and the structure is stable enough for play but also has the look of a piece of modern furniture. The net in the middle is removable."

A ping-pong table titled Resonating Ping Pong Table, Song No. 1 (2025) produces meditative sounds when the ball strikes anodized aluminum plates. Six plates are tuned to the A minor pentatonic scale, creating calm, balanced tones. Each hit makes a plate vibrate and emit a note; successive hits produce changing melodies dependent on speed, position, and force. The top is anodized to strengthen metal, prevent rust, and enhance vibration clarity. The body is varnished and stable for play, with a removable net that allows the surface to convert into a dining table.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine