Between Force And Stillness Tennis Inspired Sculpture by Yuan Zhuang Receives the A' Design Award in Fine Arts and Art Installation Design

Yuan Zhuang recognized for fine arts and art installation design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 15, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Between Force And Stillness Tennis Inspired Sculpture by Yuan Zhuang has been granted the A' Design Award in the Fine Arts and Art Installation Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

The A' Design Award Explained

The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.

About Between Force And Stillness Tennis Inspired Sculpture

Between Force and Stillness is a public sculpture created for a national tennis center in Beijing, China. The work interprets a tennis form through 24 sphere shaped units arranged along a vertical axis, evoking natural rhythm and cyclical time. The composition draws on Daoist thought, in which movement and stillness are understood as mutually dependent. Mixed media are used, including fiberglass, marble, weather resistant automotive paint and lighting. Modular construction allows separate shipping and assembly on site.

Award Record

Yuan Zhuang is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.

About the A' Fine Arts and Art Installation Design Award

The A' Fine-Art Design Award is an international fine-art design competition recognizing best fine-art works by leading fine-art artists and creators worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to artists, painters, sculptors and ceramicists from all countries. Entries typically include sculptures, paintings, installations, photographs, drawings and mixed media works. Awarded art designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/fine-art

About A' Design Award & Competition

A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://designers.org/179136
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/179136
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!179136
Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/377350

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: Between Force And Stillness Tennis Inspired Sculpture
Function: Tennis Inspired Sculpture
Category: Fine Arts and Art Installation Design
Discipline: Communication Design
Industry: Arts
Colors: Black, Dark Olive Green, Dark Slate Gray and Dark Green
Images: 5

The Recognition

Laureate: Yuan Zhuang
Recognition: A' Design Award
Edition: 2025 - 2026
Design ID: #179136

Design Details

Unique Properties: Created for the China National Tennis Center 2024, this sculpture interprets a tennis form through 24 spheres that evoke natural rhythm and cyclical time. “Force and Stillness” explores the dialectic between motion and quiet, echoing Chinese philosophy on dynamic force and balanced calm. It presents a fusion of modern competition and ancient wisdom, offering a cultural tribute within an international sports setting.
Inspiration: The inspiration for “FORCE AND STILLNESS” comes from the Dao De Jing, which sees movement and stillness as mutually dependent forces. Movement conveys change and energy, while stillness offers balance and calm, and their harmony reflects the order of nature. The 24 spheres symbolize natural rhythm and cyclical time. Through a static tennis form, the work expresses this motion,quiet dialectic and connects the dynamic spirit of a tennis event with China’s enduring cultural heritage.
Research: The project investigates site oriented public art within a national level sports venue during an international tennis event. Through site observation pedestrian flow analysis and material testing it explores how public art can support spatial identification cultural communication and emotional guidance for large scale audiences. Drawing from Daoist philosophy the study translates the balance of movement and stillness into a modular sculptural system suitable for long term public display.
Challenge: The key challenge was translating abstract Daoist concepts into a public art form that could be intuitively understood within a fast paced sports environment. The project needed to balance expressive form with structural safety weather resistance and efficient installation while remaining clear and engaging for diverse international audiences.
Realization and Technology: Mixed media including marble fiberglass and weather resistant metal automotive paint suitable for outdoor use.
Operation and Interaction: Visitors experience the sculpture through movement and pause as they approach walk around and observe it from multiple distances. The work guides emotional rhythm within the space rather than requiring direct interaction.
Project Duration and Location: Core Area of Beijing Olympic Park, China
Specifications: Work Type: Physical Sculpture Overall Dimensions: Height: 2500 mm × Base: 1500 mm × 1500 mm Components: A total of 24 tennis ball–shaped units, arranged along a vertical axis Year: 2024 Materials: Mixed media (fiberglass, automotive paint, marble, LED lighting, etc.) Structural & Technical Features: Vertical structural design emphasizing visual tension and rhythmic composition The base provides stable support, suitable for indoor or semi-outdoor display Modular construction for ease of transportation, installation, and maintenance Packaging & Transportation: The artwork is transported using customized protective packaging.
Keywords: Public Sculpture, Abstract Sculpture, Art Sculpture, Art Installation