Synthetic Blue Skultura by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid in Disinn tal-Arti Fini u Installazzjonijiet Artistiċi Competition Category.

ĦadidArti Fini· 2026

Synthetic Blue Skultura

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid Winner in Arti Fini 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 Skultura

Synthetic Blue hija skultura li tixbah bram. L-iskultura hija magħmula kompletament minn pożati tal-plastik li jintremew wara l-użu, irkuprati, iffurmati mill-ġdid bis-sħana u mdaħħla b'mod permanenti fir-reżina. Il-forma tal-koppla tinħoloq permezz ta' kompressjoni u sħana kkontrollata, filwaqt li jinżammu t-tessuti tas-superfiċje li jfakkru f'membrani bijoloġiċi. Il-biċċa tistrieħ f'baċir baxx tar-reżina inkwadrat fl-injam, li jissuġġerixxi superfiċje riflessiva tal-ilma. It-telespettaturi l-ewwel jaqraw l-oġġett bħala organiżmu tal-baħar, imbagħad jagħrfu l-plastik mormi, bidla li tiġbed l-attenzjoni lejn l-effett tal-iskart fuq il-ħajja tal-oċean.

The Recognition

About the Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid

Synthetic Blue Skultura huwa rebbieħ tal-Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid, rikonoxximent prestiġjuż mogħti lil disinji tajbin li jissodisfaw ir-rekwiżiti professjonali u industrijali mistennija minn ħolqien imfassal tajjeb. Ir-rebbieħa tal-Ħadid juru l-ħila kbira, l-ispeċjalizzazzjoni għolja, il-fehim espert u l-kapaċità kreattiva tal-ħallieqa tagħhom. Huwa mistenni li Synthetic Blue Skultura ikun ħolqien imqabbar ħafna, mammirat u maħbub li huwa prattiku u innovattiv. Dan id-disinn rebbieħ tal-Ħadid jintegra l-aħjar prattiki tal-industrija u għandu karatteristiċi tekniċi kompetenti marbuta mal-għarfien u t-talent. Synthetic Blue Skultura huwa rispettat għall-eżattezza tiegħu u mfassal biex itejjeb il-kwalità tal-ħajja u jgħin jagħmel id-dinja post aħjar.

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