Synthetic Blue Skulptaĵo by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Fera A' Design Award in Dezajno de Belartoj kaj Artaj Instalaĵoj Competition Category.

FeroBelarto· 2026

Synthetic Blue Skulptaĵo

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Fera A' Design Award Winner in Belarto Category

4,564

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180954

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Synthetic Blue Skulptaĵo

Sintetika Bluo estas skulptaĵo, kiu similas meduzon. La skulptaĵo estas farita tute el reuzitaj unufoje uzeblaj plastaj manĝiloj, varmece reformitaj kaj konstante enigitaj en rezino. La kupola formo estas kreita per kunpremo kaj regata varmo, konservante surfacajn teksturojn, kiuj memorigas biologiajn membranojn. La verko kuŝas en malprofunda rezina baseno enkadrigita per ligno, kiu sugestas reflektan akvosurfacon. Rigardantoj unue perceptas la objekton kiel maran organismon, poste rekonas la forĵetitan plaston, ŝanĝo kiu atentigas pri la efiko de rubo sur la ocean-vivon.

The Recognition

About the Fera A' Design Award

Synthetic Blue Skulptaĵo estas gajninto de la Fera A' Design Award, prestiĝa rekono donata al bonaj dezajnoj, kiuj plenumas la profesiajn kaj industriajn postulojn atendatajn de bone dezajnitaj kreaĵoj. La Feraj gajnintoj montras grandan lertecon, altan specialiĝon, spertan komprenon kaj kreivan kapablon de siaj kreintoj. Oni atendas, ke Synthetic Blue Skulptaĵo estu tre estimata, admirata kaj ŝatata kreaĵo, kiu estas praktika kaj nova. Ĉi tiu dezajno gajninta la Feran A' Design Award integras plej bonajn industriajn praktikojn kaj havas kompetentajn teknikajn karakterizojn ligitajn kun scipovo kaj talento. Synthetic Blue Skulptaĵo estas respektata pro sia zorgemo kaj estas dezajnita por provizi plibonigojn de la vivokvalito, kiuj helpas fari la mondon pli bona loko.

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