Synthetic Blue Umsebenzi wokuQingqa by Ze Zhou

Synthetic Blue Umsebenzi wokuQingqa by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Ibhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award in Uyilo loBugcisa obuHle kunye nokuFakwa kwoBugcisa Competition Category.

IntsimbiUbugcisa obuHle· 2026

Synthetic Blue Umsebenzi wokuQingqa

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Ibhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award Winner in Ubugcisa obuHle 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 Umsebenzi wokuQingqa

I-Synthetic Blue ngumsebenzi wokuqingqa okhumbuza ngejellyfish. Lo msebenzi wenziwe ngokupheleleyo ngezixhobo zokutya zeplastiki ezilahliweyo eziphinde zasetyenziswa, ezaphinda zenziwa isimo ngobushushu zaza zafakwa ngokusisigxina kwiresin. Isimo sedome senziwa ngokucinezela nangobushushu obulawulwayo, kugcinwa imizobo yomphezulu ekhumbuza ngezikhumba zezinto eziphilayo. Lo msebenzi uhleli kwisitya seresin esingekho nzulu esijikelezwe ngumthi, nto leyo ebonisa umphezulu wamanzi okhanyisayo. Ababukeli baqala babone lo mfanekiso njengesidalwa saselwandle, baze emva koko babone iplastiki elahliweyo, utshintsho oluthi lutsale ingqalelo kwifuthe lenkunkuma kubomi baselwandle.

The Recognition

About the Ibhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award

Synthetic Blue Umsebenzi wokuQingqa ngumphumeleli weIbhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award, ukuqatshelwa okuhlonitshwayo okunikwa imiyilo elungileyo eyanelisa iimfuno zobungcali neemveliso ezilindelekileyo kwimveliso ezicwangciswe kakuhle. Abaphumeleleyo beNtsimbi babonisa ubuchule obukhulu, ubuchule obuphezulu, ukuqonda kwengcali namandla okuyila abayili babo. Synthetic Blue Umsebenzi wokuQingqa iyathenjwa ukuba ibe yimveliso exatyiswa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo esebenzayo neyinto entsha. Lo myilo uphumeleleyo weIbhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award udibanisa iindlela ezilungileyo kakhulu zemboleko kwaye unezimpawu zobuchwephesha ezifanelekileyo ezidityaniswe nolwazi netalente. Synthetic Blue Umsebenzi wokuQingqa iyahlonelwa ngenxa yenkcukacha yayo kwaye yacwangciselwa ukunika uphuculo lomgangatho wobomi olunceda ukwenza ihlabathi libe yindawo engcono.

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