Synthetic Blue Chosema by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award in Luso Lapadera ndi Mapangidwe a Zoyikidwa za Luso Competition Category.

ChitsuloLuso Lapadera· 2026

Synthetic Blue Chosema

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award Winner in Luso Lapadera 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 Chosema

Synthetic Blue ndi chosema chomwe chimafanana ndi nsomba ya jellyfish. Chosemachi chinapangidwa kwathunthu kuchokera ku ziwiya zapulasitiki zotayidwa zogwiritsidwa ntchito kamodzi, zomwe zinaumbidwanso ndi kutentha ndikuikidwa kosatha mu resin. Mawonekedwe a dome anapangidwa pogwiritsa ntchito kupanikiza ndi kutentha koyendetsedwa bwino, kusunga makhalidwe a pamwamba omwe amakumbutsa nembanemba za zamoyo. Chidutswachi chakhala mu beseni losazama la resin lozunguliridwa ndi matabwa, lomwe limaimira pamwamba pa madzi ponyezimira. Owonera amayamba kuchiwona ngati chamoyo cha m'nyanja, kenako amazindikira pulasitiki yotayidwa, kusintha komwe kumakoka chidwi ku zotsatira za zinyalala pa zamoyo za m'nyanja.

The Recognition

About the Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award

Synthetic Blue Chosema ndi mmodzi mwa opambana a Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award, kuzindikirika kolemekezeka komwe kumaperekedwa kwa mapangidwe abwino omwe amakwaniritsa zofunika za akatswiri ndi za makampani zomwe zimayembekezeka kuchokera ku zolengedwa zopangidwa bwino. Opambana a Chitsulo amaonetsa luso lalikulu, ukatswiri wapamwamba, kumvetsetsa kwa akatswiri ndi mphamvu yolenga ya opanga awo. Synthetic Blue Chosema akuyembekezeka kukhala cholengedwa choyamikiridwa kwambiri, chosirira ndi chokondedwa chomwe ndi chothandiza ndi chatsopano. Mapangidwe opambana Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award awa amaphatikiza machitidwe abwino kwambiri a makampani ndipo ali ndi makhalidwe a ukadaulo oyenerera olumikizidwa ndi chidziwitso ndi luso. Synthetic Blue Chosema amalemekezedwa chifukwa cha kusamala kwake ndipo anapangidwa kuti apereke kukonza kwa moyo kumene kumathandiza kusandutsa dziko kukhala malo abwino.

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