Synthetic Blue Cerflun by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Gwobr Haearn A' Design Award in Celfyddyd Gain Competition Category.

HaearnCelfyddyd Gain· 2026

Synthetic Blue Cerflun

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Gwobr Haearn A' Design Award Winner in Celfyddyd Gain 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 Cerflun

Mae Synthetic Blue yn gerflun sy'n debyg i sglefren fôr. Mae'r cerflun wedi'i wneud yn gyfan gwbl o gyllyll a ffyrc plastig tafladwy wedi'u hadfer, wedi'u hail-ffurfio'n thermol a'u gosod yn barhaol mewn resin. Crëir ffurf y gromen trwy gywasgu a gwres rheoledig, gan gadw gweadau arwyneb sy'n dwyn i gof bilennau biolegol. Mae'r darn yn gorwedd mewn basn resin bas wedi'i fframio â phren, sy'n awgrymu arwyneb dŵr adlewyrchol. Mae gwylwyr yn gweld y gwrthrych i ddechrau fel organeb forol, ac yna'n adnabod y plastig a daflwyd, newid sy'n tynnu sylw at effaith gwastraff ar fywyd y cefnfor.

The Recognition

About the Gwobr Haearn A' Design Award

Mae Synthetic Blue Cerflun yn enillydd Gwobr Haearn A' Design Award, cydnabyddiaeth fawreddog a roddir i ddyluniadau da sydd yn bodloni'r gofynion proffesiynol a diwydiannol a ddisgwylir gan greadigaethau wedi'u dylunio'n dda. Mae enillwyr Haearn yn dangos medrusrwydd mawr, arbenigedd uchel, dealltwriaeth arbenigol a gallu creadigol eu crewyr. Disgwylir i Synthetic Blue Cerflun fod yn greadigaeth uchel ei bri, a edmygir ac a anwylir, sydd yn ymarferol ac yn arloesol. Mae'r dyluniad buddugol hwn o Wobr Haearn A' Design Award yn integreiddio arferion gorau'r diwydiant ac mae ganddo nodweddion technegol cymwys wedi'u cysylltu â gwybodaeth ymarferol a dawn. Parchir Synthetic Blue Cerflun am ei drylwyredd ac fe'i dyluniwyd i ddarparu gwelliannau ansawdd bywyd sydd yn helpu i wneud y byd yn lle gwell.

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