Synthetic Blue Eskultura by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award nga Puthaw in Disenyo sa Pinong Arte ug Instalasyon sa Arte Competition Category.

PuthawPinong Arte· 2026

Synthetic Blue Eskultura

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

A' Design Award nga Puthaw Winner in Pinong Arte Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180954

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Synthetic Blue Eskultura

Ang Synthetic Blue usa ka eskultura nga susama sa usa ka jellyfish. Ang eskultura hinimo sa hingpit gikan sa mga nagamit na nga disposable nga plastik nga kubyertos, nga gi-usab ang porma pinaagi sa kainit ug permanenteng gitisok sa resin. Ang porma nga dome gihimo pinaagi sa pagkompres ug kontroladong kainit, nga nagpreserbar sa mga tekstura sa nawong nga nagpahinumdom sa mga biolohikal nga membrana. Ang buhat nahimutang sa usa ka mabaw nga resin nga planggana nga gikwadrohan sa kahoy, nga nagsugyot og masinaw nga nawong sa tubig. Ang mga tumatan-aw sa sinugdan makasabot sa butang isip usa ka organismo sa dagat, unya mailhan ang gilabay nga plastik, usa ka kausaban nga nagdani sa atensyon ngadto sa epekto sa basura sa kinabuhi sa kadagatan.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award nga Puthaw

Synthetic Blue Eskultura usa ka mananaog sa A' Design Award nga Puthaw, usa ka dungganon nga pag-ila nga gihatag sa maayong mga disenyo nga nakatagbo sa propesyonal ug industriyal nga mga gikinahanglan nga gipaabot gikan sa maayo ang pagkadisenyo nga mga paglalang. Ang mga mananaog sa Puthaw nagpakita og dakong kahanas, taas nga espesyalisasyon, eksperto nga pagsabot, ug mamugnaon nga abilidad sa ilang mga tiglalang. Gilauman nga ang Synthetic Blue Eskultura mahimong gipabilhan, gihangaan, ug gihigugma nga paglalang nga praktikal ug bag-o. Kini nga disenyo nga nakadaog og A' Design Award nga Puthaw naghiusa sa labing maayong mga praktis sa industriya ug adunay hanas nga teknikal nga mga kinaiya nga nalambigit sa kahibalo ug talento. Synthetic Blue Eskultura gitahod tungod sa pagkamaabtik niini ug gidisenyo aron maghatag og mga pagpaayo sa kalidad sa kinabuhi nga makatabang sa paghimo sa kalibutan nga mas maayong dapit.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The sculpture is constructed entirely from reclaimed disposable plastic utensils that have been thermally reshaped and permanently embedded in resin.

The piece rests within a shallow resin basin framed in wood. Integrating material recycling, biomimetic morphology, and controlled thermoplastic manipulation, the work synthesizes sustainability, process-driven form, and ecological narrative into a cohesive sculptural object.
Dimensions & Packaging: The object is positioned within a shallow resin basin framed by wood, simulating a reflective water surface. This base establishes spatial context while stabilizing the structure.

The project merges material recycling, biomimetic morphology, and controlled thermoplastic manipulation into a single cohesive object.
Tags: Art，Sustainable Design，Environmental friendly，Product Design
Production Technology: The sculpture is constructed entirely from reclaimed disposable plastic utensils that have been thermally reshaped and embedded in resin. The dome structure is formed through compression and controlled heat processes, preserving surface textures that resemble biological membranes.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was balancing structural stability with organic irregularity. Thermoplastic materials deform unpredictably under heat, requiring iterative experimentation to maintain translucency without
collapse.

Another challenge involved achieving water-like optical depth within a shallow resin base while preserving clarity and minimizing air bubbles.
Research: It explores thermoplastic reconfiguration and biomimetic form translation. Through experimental heating and compression methods, disposable plastic utensils were transformed into semi-organic structures while maintaining evidence of their original function.

The research investigates how material memory, translucency, and deformation can simulate marine morphology. The work also examines visual misidentification as a design strategy, translating ecological phenomena into object-scale form.
Inspiration: Sea turtles often mistake floating plastic for jellyfish, leading to fatal ingestion. Synthetic materials have infiltrated natural ecosystems.

Synthetic Blue emerges from this resemblance. Instead of symbolically depicting marine life, the project reshapes discarded plastic utensils into a form that mimics the fragile translucency of a jellyfish.

By transforming waste into a seductive marine apparition, the work exposes the paradox of artificial beauty and environmental harm.
Project Duration: Designed and fabricated in California, USA, 2024–2025.
Exhibited in 2025 at:
• Some Like It Hot, California Creative Arts, CA
• Pocket Gallery, Burbank, CA
Operation Flow: Viewers first encounter the sculpture as a delicate marine organism due to its translucent surface and aquatic coloration.

As proximity increases, the identity of disposable plastic materials becomes recognizable. This perceptual transition — from aesthetic admiration to material awareness — forms the primary interaction mechanism.

The work operates through visual deception and revelation, mirroring the ecological misrecognition that inspired it.
Patents: Zoe Ze Zhou
Team Members: Zoe Ze Zhou
Image Credits: Zoe Ze Zhou