Treasure Island Hotel & Casino

Authors and architects Denise Scott Brown, Robert Venturi, and Steven Izenour first proposed the concept of a “duck” in their 1972 book Learning from Las Vegas. A “duck” refers to a building “where the architectural systems of space, structure, and program are submerged and distorted by an overall symbolic form.” The trio were inspired by an actual duck-shaped building in Long Island, New York, known as The Big Duck, which was initially constructed as a shop to sell ducks and duck eggs. Passerby who observed The Big Duck would, in theory, be explicitly informed of the building’s purpose just by its form. The “duck” exists in contrast to the “decorated shed,” which relies on ornaments and embellishments, such as signs, to describe its function. Together the “duck” and “decorated shed” are linked in their purposes towards understanding architectural design and where it comes from.

Las Vegas is a city of continuous reinvention, driven by the sustained competition found in the gaming and tourism industries. During the 1980s and 1990s, Las Vegas explored a new “family-friendly” marketing approach, found in casino advertisements, internal and external casino infrastructure, and the construction of a new overall Las Vegas experience with family-centered attractions such as theme parks, live shows, and child-friendly eating establishments. These family-oriented attractions often featured themed facilities that emphasized theatricality, themselves examples of “duck” architecture, such as the medieval Excalibur Hotel & Casino and the Luxor Hotel & Casino, which is shaped like an Egyptian pyramid.

Another notable example of a “duck” from Las Vegas’ family-friendly era is the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, opened in 1993. Designed by Joel Bergman, who previously designed the Mirage Hotel & Casino, alongside architect Jon Jerde and acclaimed interior designer Roger Thomas. Together, the trio approached the family-friendly era with a precision to detail on their pirate themed project, with staff traveling across Europe, India, and Nepal in search of historic objects such as doors and columns to draw inspiration from, which were later replicated at the Treasure Island’s pirate village and lagoon area known as Buccaneer Bay.