Synthetic Blue Skulptuer by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award yn Izer in Skoane Keunsten en Keunstynstalaasje Ûntwerp Competition Category.

IzerSkoane Keunst· 2026

Synthetic Blue Skulptuer

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

A' Design Award yn Izer Winner in Skoane Keunst 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 Skulptuer

Synthetic Blue is in skulptuer dy't liket op in kwal. De skulptuer is folslein makke fan weromwûn plestik wegwerpbestek, dat mei waarmte opnij foarme is en permanint yn hars ynbêde. De koepelfoarm is makke troch kompresje en kontrolearre waarmte, wêrby't oerflaktekstueren bewarre bleaun binne dy't tinken dogge oan biologyske membranen. It wurk rêst yn in ûndjippe harsbak mei in houten râne, dy't in reflektearjend wetteroerflak suggerearret. Sjoggers sjogge it objekt earst as in see-organisme, en werkenne dêrnei it fuortsmiten plestik, in ferskowing dy't de oandacht fêstiget op it effekt fan ôffal op it libben yn de oseaan.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award yn Izer

Synthetic Blue Skulptuer is in winner fan de A' Design Award yn Izer, in prestisjeuze erkenning foar goede ûntwerpen dy't foldogge oan de profesjonele en yndustriële easken dy't ferwachte wurde fan goed ûntwurpen skeppings. Izerwinners litte grutte feardigens, hege spesjalisaasje, deskundich begryp en kreatyf fermogen fan har makkers sjen. Fan Synthetic Blue Skulptuer wurdt ferwachte dat it in tige heech achte, bewûndere en dierbere skepping is dy't praktysk en ynnovatyf is. Dit winnende ûntwerp fan de A' Design Award yn Izer yntegrearret de bêste praktiken fan de sektor en hat feardige technyske skaaimerken ferbûn mei kennis en talint. Synthetic Blue Skulptuer wurdt respektearre foar syn yngeandens en is ûntwurpen om ferbetteringen fan de kwaliteit fan it libben te leverjen dy't helpe de wrâld ta in bettere plak te meitsjen.

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