Synthetic Blue 조각 by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 철상 in 순수 예술 및 예술 설치 디자인 Competition Category.
철순수 예술· 2026
Synthetic Blue 조각
by Ze Zhou
Client: Zoe Ze Zhou
A' Design Award 철상 Winner in 순수 예술 Category
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The Design
About Synthetic Blue 조각
합성 블루(Synthetic Blue)는 해파리를 닮은 조각 작품이다. 이 작품은 전량 재활용된 일회용 플라스틱 식기로 제작되었으며, 열을 가해 형태를 변형한 뒤 레진 속에 영구적으로 봉입되었다. 돔 형태는 압축과 정밀하게 제어된 열처리를 통해 만들어졌으며, 생물학적 막을 연상시키는 표면 질감이 그대로 보존되어 있다. 작품은 목재로 프레임을 두른 얕은 레진 수반 위에 놓여 있어 빛을 반사하는 수면을 떠올리게 한다. 관람자는 이 오브제를 처음에는 해양 생물로 인식하지만, 이내 버려진 플라스틱임을 알아차리게 되며, 이러한 인식의 전환은 폐기물이 해양 생물에 미치는 영향에 주목하게 만든다.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award 철상
Synthetic Blue 조각, 이 작품은 A' Design Award 철상 수상작으로, 잘 디자인된 창작물에 기대되는 전문적·산업적 요건을 충족하는 좋은 디자인에 수여되는 권위 있는 인정입니다. 철상 수상작은 창작자의 뛰어난 기술, 높은 전문성, 전문가다운 이해, 창의적 역량을 보여 줍니다. Synthetic Blue 조각, 이 작품은 높이 평가받고 감탄과 사랑을 받는 창작물로서 실용적이고 혁신적일 것으로 기대됩니다. 이 철상 수상 디자인은 업계 모범 사례를 통합하며 노하우와 재능으로 연결된 유능한 기술적 특성을 갖추고 있습니다. Synthetic Blue 조각, 이 작품은 철저함으로 존중받으며 삶의 질을 개선하여 세상을 더 나은 곳으로 만들도록 디자인되었습니다.
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
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