The history of Las Vegas, from its roots as a railroad stop to its current status as the global center of gambling, is well documented.
But lesser known is the city’s architectural past.
Duck Duck Shed: Celebrating Las Vegas Architecture, Design, and Culture will illuminate that aspect of the city’s history,October 27-30, 2022, at The Neon Museum.
“The Neon Museum tells the stories of Las Vegas history through its iconic art form of neon,” said Neon Museum Executive Director Aaron Berger in a statement. “However, neon signs are only one element of the city’s unique history in the fields of design and culture. Las Vegas’ architecture and design has evolved over the decades and inspired many. We are proud to launch Duck Duck Shed that will present the city’s history through its architecture with nationally renowned lecturers and unforgettable experiences.”
The four-day event will feature more than three dozen presentations and programming. Among those scheduled to appear are author, historian, urban planner, and architect Alan Hess, and Jon Sparer, the architect for the Mirage, Paris Las Vegas, and Bellagio in Las Vegas. Duck Duck Shed also will offer tours of historic Las Vegas neighborhoods and properties by foot, coach, and helicopter, including exclusive tours of Siegfried & Roy’s Jungle Palace, a private estate not open to the public.
“Since its founding Las Vegas has never ceased to amaze, innovate, and astonish,” Hess said. “The Neon Museum is right to keep the spotlight on how it came to be, and the lessons it still has to reveal.”
Berger noted that event is inspired by themes first identified in the book Learning from Las Vegas by Denise Scott Brown, Robert Venturi, and Steven Izenour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of its publication. The authors wrote that buildings are either “ducks” that explicitly represent their function through their unique shape and design, or “decorated sheds” that are more generic structures with signs and décor denoting their functions. Examples of decorated sheds in Las Vegas include the Tropicana, which opened in 1957, and Resorts World, which opened in 2021, and the Excalibur and Circus Circus as “ducks.”
“Las Vegas has so many architectural gems, and I’m excited that Duck Duck Shed will shine a national spotlight on the beautiful designs that have shaped our city’s history,” said City of Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman in a statement.
Duck Duck Shed will culminate with a black-tie gala at Jungle Palace to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Neon Museum at its current location on Las Vegas Boulevard in Downtown Las Vegas.
