Synthetic Blue Patung by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Beusi in Seni Rupa Competition Category.

BeusiSeni Rupa· 2026

Synthetic Blue Patung

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

A' Design Award Beusi Winner in Seni Rupa 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 Patung

Synthetic Blue nyaéta patung anu wangunna nyarupaan ubur-ubur. Ieu patung dijieun sagemblengna tina parabot plastik sakali paké anu didaur ulang, dibentuk deui ku panas jeung dipelakkeun sacara permanén dina résin. Wangun kubahna diciptakeun ngaliwatan komprési jeung panas anu dikadalikeun, bari ngajaga tékstur permukaan anu ngingetkeun kana mémbran biologis. Karya ieu ditunda dina baskom résin déét anu dipiguraan ku kai, anu méré kesan permukaan cai anu ngagenclang. Anu nempo mimitina bakal nganggap ieu obyék salaku organisme laut, tuluy sadar yén éta téh plastik urut, hiji parobahan persépsi anu narik perhatian kana pangaruh runtah kana kahirupan sagara.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Beusi

Synthetic Blue Patung mangrupa juara A' Design Award Beusi, pangakuan anu bergengsi anu dipasihkeun ka desain alus anu minuhan sarat profésional jeung industri anu diharepkeun tina kréasi anu dirarancang alus. Para juara Beusi nunjukkeun kaahlian anu hébat, spésialisasi anu luhur, pamahaman ahli jeung kamampuh kréatif para kréatorna. Synthetic Blue Patung diharepkeun jadi kréasi anu dihargaan, dikagumi jeung dipikanyaah anu praktis jeung inovatif. Desain juara A' Design Award Beusi ieu ngalebetkeun prakték pangalusna industri sarta ngabogaan ciri téknis anu mampuh pakait jeung pangweruh praktis jeung bakat. Synthetic Blue Patung dihormat pikeun katelitianana sarta dirarancang pikeun méré paningkatan kualitas hirup anu mantuan ngajadikeun dunya tempat nu leuwih hadé.

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