Synthetic Blue Ìomhaigh-shnaidhte by Ze Zhou

Synthetic Blue Ìomhaigh-shnaidhte by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Duais Iarainn A' Design Award in Ealain Fhìnealta agus Dealbhadh Stàladh Ealain Competition Category.

IarannEalain Fhìnealta· 2026

Synthetic Blue Ìomhaigh-shnaidhte

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Duais Iarainn A' Design Award Winner in Ealain Fhìnealta Category

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Synthetic Blue Ìomhaigh-shnaidhte

'S e ìomhaigh-shnaidhte a th' ann an Synthetic Blue a tha coltach ri muir-tiachd. Tha an ìomhaigh-shnaidhte air a dèanamh gu tur de dh'acainnean plastaig aon-chleachdaidh ath-bheòthaichte, air an ath-chumadh le teas agus air an suidheachadh gu maireannach ann an roisead. Tha cruth a' chruinn-mhullaich air a chruthachadh tro theannachadh agus teas fo smachd, a' gleidheadh nan uachdaran a chuireas nàdar de bhuill-bodhaig bith-eòlasach nan cuimhne. Tha am pìos na laighe ann am mias eu-domhainn roiseid le frèam fiodha, a tha a' toirt dhut ìomhaigh de dh'uachdar uisge a tha a' meòrachadh solais. An toiseach, chì an luchd-amhairc an nì mar fhàs-bheairt mhara, an uairsin aithnichidh iad am plastaig a chaidh a thilgeil air falbh, gluasad a tharraingeas aire gu buaidh sgudail air beatha a' chuain.

The Recognition

About the Duais Iarainn A' Design Award

Tha Synthetic Blue Ìomhaigh-shnaidhte air Duais Iarainn A' Design Award a bhuannachadh, aithneachadh urramach a bheirear do dhealbhaidhean math a choinnicheas ris na riatanasan proifeiseanta is gnìomhachais a thathar a' sùileachadh bho chruthachaidhean a chaidh an dealbhadh gu math. Tha buannaichean Iarainn a' nochdadh sgil mhòr, speisealachadh àrd, tuigse eòlaiche agus comas cruthachail an luchd-cruthachaidh. Thathar an dùil gum bi Synthetic Blue Ìomhaigh-shnaidhte na chruthachadh air a bheil mòran meas, ion-mholta agus gràdhach a tha practaigeach agus ùr-ghnàthach. Tha an dealbhadh seo a bhuannaich Duais Iarainn A' Design Award a' cur nan cleachdaidhean as fheàrr sa ghnìomhachas còmhla agus tha feartan teignigeach comasach aige ceangailte ri eòlas-dèanamh agus tàlant. Tha meas air Synthetic Blue Ìomhaigh-shnaidhte airson a dhùrachd agus chaidh a dhealbhadh gus leasachaidhean càileachd beatha a thoirt seachad a chuidicheas le bhith a' dèanamh an t-saoghail na àite nas fheàrr.

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