Big Duck
The Big Duck is a building in the shape of a duck on Long Island, New York. It is an early example of mimetic architecture, where the design of the building mimics its purpose or function. The Big Duck was built in 1931 by Martin Maurer a duck farmer who used it as a shop to sell his produce.
The building is made from ferro-cement applied over a timber frame and wire mesh. It measures 5.5 m (18 ft) wide, 9.1 m (30 ft) long, and 6.1 m (20 ft) tall. The duck’s eyes are made from Ford Model-T tail lights.
Maurer moved the building to Flanders, Long Island, in 1937 where it stood until his duck ranch closed in 1984. Suffolk County acquired the building in 1988 and moved it elsewhere before it was returned to Flanders in 2007.
It was the inspiration for the Robert Venturi coined term ‘duck’, referring to a building that conforms to its purpose, and featured in his influential book ‘Learning from Las Vegas’.
Now containing a gift shop, the Big Duck is considered one of Long Island’s landmarks and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- American architecture and construction.
- Fish Building, India.
- Gereja Ayam.
- Haines Shoe House.
- ING House.
- Lucy the elephant.
- Mimetic architecture.
- Owl House, South Korea.
- Piano Building.
- Robot Building, Bangkok.
- Sheep and Dog Buildings, Tirau.
- Teapot Dome Service Station.
- The Big Basket.
- The Headington Shark.
- The Kelpies.
- Unusual building design of the week.
- Wonder Egg, Japan.
Featured articles and news
The infrastructure planning process
A look at the Government's strategic approach.
Steps to help reduce the spread of infection inside buildings.
Urban exploration and construction
This social media-centred hobby can be both dangerous and illegal.
Millwork wall treatment with a long and illustrious history.
Weekly workplace noise estimator tool
HSE introduces cumulative exposure calculator.
The Edwardians and their houses.
Cut off from civilian life for over 900 years.
Can net zero and levelling-up align?
Gaining green support from the carbon giants.
Medieval passageways with spiritual, transport and economic purposes.
CIOB applauded for people management leadership
Organisation receives accreditation from Investors in People.
Receive the Designing Buildings newsletter
Click the button to subscribe.
The importance of successful crisis messaging
Communicating the right information at the right time.
Angular selective shading systems
Materials can take on different properties to control heat and glare.
Challenges in the construction sector and beyond.