Ducks Vs. Decorated Shed
In architecture, 'ducks' are buildings that explicitly represent their function through their shape and construction. "Decorated sheds", on the other hand, are generic structures that use signs and imagery to convey their purpose.
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Origin
Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour introduced the distinction in Learning from Las Vegas (1972). Their "duck" category took its name from the Big Duck, a ferrocement building shaped like a Pekin duck built in 1931 on Long Island to sell poultry. Where "ducks" express function through sculptural form, "decorated sheds" rely on applied signs and ornament.
Updated February 22, 2026