Synthetic Blue Ta'ãnga ijapopyre by Ze Zhou

Synthetic Blue Ta'ãnga ijapopyre by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Fiero in Arte Porã Jejapo Competition Category.

FieroArte Porã· 2026

Synthetic Blue Ta'ãnga ijapopyre

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

A' Design Award Fiero Winner in Arte Porã 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 Ta'ãnga ijapopyre

Synthetic Blue ha'e peteĩ ta'ãnga ijapopyre ojoguáva aguaviéno kuérape (jellyfish). Ko ta'ãnga ojejapo omoĩmbaite plástico tembiporu ojeporúva'ekue ha ojeitýva'ekue rehegua, ojehakuvo'i ha oñemoambue haguã iforma, ha oñemohatã opa árape g̃uarã resina ryepýpe. Pe forma redondo ijyvatéva ojejapo ojejopývo ha aku oñeñangarekóvape, omo'ãva umi ape rehegua ha'etéva membrana tekovekuéra rehegua. Ko tembiapo opyta peteĩ resina renda ipypukukue'ỹvape, yvyra oñemongorapyre, ohechaukáva y ape omimbíva. Umi omañáva oikuaa raẽ ko mba'e ha'eha peteĩ tekove yguasupegua, upéi ohechakuaa umi plástico ojeitýva'ekue, ha upe ñemoambue omomandu'a chupekuéra mba'éichapa yty ombyai yguasu rekovekuérape.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Fiero

Synthetic Blue Ta'ãnga ijapopyre ohupyty A' Design Award Fiero, peteĩ ñehechakuaa prestigioso oñeme'ẽva diseño iporã-pe ohupytýva requisito profesional ha industrial oñeha'ãrõva creación iporã oñemoĩva-gui. Umi ganador Fiero ohechauka habilidad guasu, especialización yvate, comprensión experta ha capacidad creativa umi creador rehegua. Oñeha'ãrõ Synthetic Blue Ta'ãnga ijapopyre ha'eha creación ojehayhúva, admirada ha estimada, práctica ha innovadora. Ko diseño ohupytýva A' Design Award Fiero ombojoaju mejor práctica industria rehegua ha oguereko característica técnica competente ojoajúva conocimiento ha talento ndive. Synthetic Blue Ta'ãnga ijapopyre oñerespeta hembiapo cuidadoso rupi ha oñemoĩ ome'ẽ hag̃ua mejora calidad de vida rehegua oipytyvõva yvy ape iporãve hag̃ua.

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