Synthetic Blue Setshwantsho se Betliloeng by Ze Zhou

Synthetic Blue Setshwantsho se Betliloeng by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Bonono bo Botle le Diketso tsa Bonono Competition Category.

TšepeBonono bo Botle· 2026

Synthetic Blue Setshwantsho se Betliloeng

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award Winner in Bonono bo Botle Category

4,564
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180954

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Synthetic Blue Setshwantsho se Betliloeng

Synthetic Blue ke setshwantsho se betliloeng se tšoanang le jellyfish. Setshwantsho sena se entsoe ka botlalo ka lisebelisoa tsa polasetiki tse lahliloeng tse sebelisoang hang feela, tse fetotsoeng sebopeho ka mocheso 'me tsa kenngoa ka ho sa feleng ka har'a resine. Sebopeho sa dome se entsoe ka ho hatelloa le mocheso o laoloang, ho boloka mekhabiso ea holim'a ntho e hopotsang lera la lintho tse phelang. Mosebetsi ona o lutse ka har'a sekotlolo se sa tebang sa resine se kentsoeng foreiming ea patsi, e leng se fanang ka maikutlo a bokaholimo ba metsi bo bonahatsang. Bashebelli ba qala ho bona ntho ena e le sebopuoa sa leoatle, ebe ba lemoha polasetiki e lahliloeng, e leng phetoho e hulang tlhokomelo tabeng ea phello ea litšila ho bophelo ba leoatle.

The Recognition

About the Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award

Synthetic Blue Setshwantsho se Betliloeng ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang e fuoang meralo e metle e finyellang litlhoko tsa porofeshenale le tsa indasteri tse lebelletsoeng ho lintho tse hlahisitsoeng tse entsoeng hantle. Bahapi ba Tšepe ba bontša bokhoni bo boholo, bokhethehi bo phahameng, kutloisiso ea litsebi le bokhoni ba boqapi ba baqapi ba bona. Synthetic Blue Setshwantsho se Betliloeng e lebelletsoe ho ba ntho e hlahisitsoeng e hlomphuoang haholo, e ratoang le e ratehang, e sebetsang le e nang le mehopolo e mecha. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award o kenyelletsa mekhoa e metle ka ho fetesisa ea indasteri mme o na le litšobotsi tsa theknoloji tse nang le bokhoni tse amanang le tsebo le talenta. Ka lebaka la botlalo ba eona, Synthetic Blue Setshwantsho se Betliloeng e tšoanelehela tlhompho mme e entsoe ho fana ka ntlafatso ea bophelo e thusang ho etsa hore lefatše le be sebaka se molemo.

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