“...sociability strengthens connections between members of a community, fulfills our psychological need for interaction, and has very concrete impacts on our collective ability to organize and collaborate—especially in times of trouble.”

Setha Low, Author of Why Public Space Matters

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS) explains the importance of sociability as one of the four tenets of a great public space. It's hard to quantify but easy to feel - it's what we feel when we enter the connected, neighbourly spirit of a local bustling park. A place where people feel safe, represented, welcomed, and encouraged to be a part of the community, no matter who they are or where they're from. 

PPS explores several approaches to increasing sociability in public spaces - you can read them all here.

POPP tables can help with one approach in particular - that is, giving people a reason to stay. As PPS lays out, a huge part of being comfortable socialising in a public space is having a reason to be there. This is particularly true for those who are often made to feel like they don't belong, bridging this gap is essential for building social cohesion.

Having amenities and programming that are accessible to everyone gives a wide array of people an 'excuse' to linger. This lingering leads to interactions that can over time build connections. Ping pong is a perfect way to achieve this, anyone can play, and the interaction is fun and active - a trifecta!

A beautiful example of this can be seen in Bryant Park, New York City where people from all walks of life have formed a powerful community around a love of ping pong. Check it out HERE.