Synthetic Blue He Whakairo by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Rino in Hoahoa Toi me te Whakaaturanga Toi Competition Category.
RinoToi· 2026
Synthetic Blue He Whakairo
by Ze Zhou
Client: Zoe Ze Zhou
A' Design Award Rino Winner in Toi Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180954The Design
About Synthetic Blue He Whakairo
He whakairo a Synthetic Blue e rite ana ki te petipeti. I hangaia katoatia te whakairo mai i ngā taputapu kai kirihou kua whakamahia anō, i whakaahuatia anō mā te wera, ā, kua whakaurua pūmautia ki roto i te rīhini. Ka hangaia te āhua kōpuku mā te pēhi me te wera whakahaere, e pupuri ana i ngā kiriata o te mata e whakamahara ana ki ngā kirikiri koiora. Ka noho te mahi toi i roto i tētahi peihana rīhini pāpaku kua tāparetia ki te rākau, e whakaatu ana i te mata wai whakaata. Ka kite tuatahi ngā kaimātakitaki i te taonga hei rauropi moana, kātahi ka mōhio ko te kirihou kua whiua atu, he panonitanga e kukume ana i te aro ki te pānga o te para ki te oranga o te moana.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award Rino
Ko Synthetic Blue He Whakairo te toa o te A' Design Award Rino, he whakaaetanga whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa pai e whakatutuki ana i ngā hiahia ngaio me te ahumahi e tūmanakohia ana mai i ngā mahi kua hoahoatia pai. Ko ngā toa Rino e whakaatu ana i te pukenga nui, te tohungatanga teitei, te māramatanga mātanga me te kaha auaha o ō rātou kaihanga. E tūmanakohia ana ko Synthetic Blue He Whakairo he mahi whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he whaihua, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Rino e whakakotahi ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa o te ahumahi, ā, he āhuatanga hangarau pūkenga tōna e hono ana ki te mōhio me te pūmanawa. E whakahonoretia ana a Synthetic Blue He Whakairo mō tōna tōtika, ā, i hoahoatia hei whakapai ake i te kounga o te oranga me te āwhina i te ao kia pai ake.
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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