Synthetic Blue Haykal by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Temir Mukofoti in Tasviriy San'at va San'at Installatsiyasi Dizayni Competition Category.

TemirTasviriy San'at· 2026

Synthetic Blue Haykal

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

A' Design Award Temir Mukofoti Winner in Tasviriy San'at Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180954

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Synthetic Blue Haykal

Synthetic Blue — meduzaga o'xshash haykaldir. Haykal to'liq qayta ishlangan bir martalik plastik idish-tovoq buyumlaridan yasalgan bo'lib, ular issiqlik yordamida qayta shakllantirilgan va smolaga doimiy ravishda joylashtirilgan. Gumbaz shakli siqish va nazorat qilingan issiqlik orqali yaratilgan bo'lib, biologik membranalarni eslatuvchi sirt teksturalarini saqlab qoladi. Asar yog'och romga olingan sayoz smola havzasida joylashgan bo'lib, bu aks etuvchi suv yuzasini eslatadi. Tomoshabinlar dastlab ob'ektni dengiz organizmi sifatida qabul qiladilar, so'ngra tashlab yuborilgan plastikni taniy boshlaydilar — bu o'zgarish chiqindilarning okean hayotiga ta'siriga e'tiborni qaratadi.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Temir Mukofoti

Synthetic Blue Haykal A' Design Award Temir Mukofotining g‘olibi bo‘lib, bu yaxshi loyihalangan ijodlardan kutiladigan kasbiy va sanoat talablariga javob beradigan yaxshi dizaynlarga beriladigan nufuzli e’tirofdir. Temir g‘oliblari o‘z yaratuvchilarining katta mahorati, yuksak ixtisosligi, mutaxassis tushunchasi va ijodiy salohiyatini namoyon etadi. Synthetic Blue Haykal yuqori qadrlanadigan, hayrat bilan qaraladigan va suyukli, amaliy hamda innovatsion ijod bo‘lishi kutiladi. A' Design Award Temir Mukofotini qo‘lga kiritgan ushbu dizayn soha eng yaxshi amaliyotlarini uyg‘unlashtiradi va bilim hamda iste’dod bilan bog‘langan layoqatli texnik xususiyatlarga ega. Synthetic Blue Haykal puxtaligi uchun hurmatga sazovor bo‘lib, dunyoni yaxshiroq joyga aylantirishga yordam beradigan hayot sifatini yaxshilashni taqdim etish uchun loyihalangan.

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