Synthetic Blue Sassaka by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Kyautar A' Design Award ta Baƙin Ƙarfe in Fasaha Competition Category.

Baƙin ƘarfeFasaha· 2026

Synthetic Blue Sassaka

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Kyautar A' Design Award ta Baƙin Ƙarfe Winner in Fasaha Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Synthetic Blue Sassaka

Synthetic Blue sassaka ce mai kama da jellyfish (wani irin halittar ruwa). An yi sassakar gaba ɗaya daga kayan cin abinci na roba da aka yi watsi da su, waɗanda aka sake fasalta su ta hanyar zafi kuma aka dasa su har abada cikin resin. An ƙirƙiri siffar kumbura ta hanyar matsawa da zafi da aka sarrafa, tare da kiyaye saman zane-zanen da ke tunatar da fatar halittu masu rai. Wannan aikin yana zaune a cikin wani ƙaramin kwano na resin da aka kewaye da itace, wanda ke nuna kamar saman ruwa mai haske. Masu kallo da farko suna ganin abin a matsayin halittar teku, sannan su gane robar da aka watsar, wani sauyi da ke jawo hankali ga tasirin shara a kan rayuwar teku.

The Recognition

About the Kyautar A' Design Award ta Baƙin Ƙarfe

Zanen Synthetic Blue Sassaka ya lashe Kyautar A' Design Award ta Baƙin Ƙarfe, wata karramawa mai daraja da ake bai wa kyawawan zane-zane waɗanda ke cika buƙatun ƙwararru da masana'antu da ake tsammani daga ƙirƙire-ƙirƙire da aka tsara da kyau. Waɗanda suka lashe kyautar Baƙin Ƙarfe suna nuna babban ƙwarewa, ƙwarewa ta musamman, fahimtar ƙwararru da ikon ƙirƙira na masu ƙirƙirar su. Ana sa ran zanen Synthetic Blue Sassaka ya zama ƙirƙira da ake girmamawa sosai, ake sha'awa da ƙauna wacce ke da amfani kuma mai sababbin abubuwa. Wannan zane da ya lashe Kyautar A' Design Award ta Baƙin Ƙarfe yana haɗa mafi kyawun ayyukan fannin kuma yana da halayen fasaha masu cancanta da ke da alaƙa da sanin yadda da baiwa. Ana girmama zanen Synthetic Blue Sassaka saboda cikakkiyar kulawarsa kuma an tsara shi don ba da ingantuwar rayuwa da ke taimakawa wajen mai da duniya wuri mafi kyau.

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