Artist Cheng Tsung Feng has completed an innovative floating shelter system designed specifically for call ducks as part of his acclaimed Nesting Plan series. This ongoing body of work translates the natural nest-building strategies of various animals into functional architectural designs, combining human construction techniques with traditional woven rope materials to bring these concepts to life.
The Nesting Plan series has previously featured structures inspired by diverse bird species, including the Gray-Cheeked Fulvetta, Green-backed Tit, Crested Serpent Eagle, White Wagtail, and Black Bulbul. Each project in the series demonstrates Feng's commitment to understanding and replicating the sophisticated shelter-building methods found in nature.
Commissioned by Swiio Villa Yilan, the latest project introduces a comprehensive shelter system specifically designed for ducks living in the villa's pond. The floating structures provide essential protection from Taiwan's challenging seasonal conditions, including the intense heat of summer months and the destructive forces of typhoon periods, while creating comfortable and secure living spaces for the animals.
Feng approached the design process with meticulous research and extensive prototype testing to ensure the shelters would meet the ducks' specific needs. An initial experimental hut was placed in the pond, and villa staff carefully recorded and documented the ducks' interactions with the structure over time. This valuable feedback informed a comprehensive series of design refinements, including crucial adjustments to buoyancy levels and window height positioning, ensuring the final structures would perfectly match the ducks' natural behaviors and environmental preferences.
The completed installation consists of four distinct floating wooden huts, each constructed in different scales and proportions to accommodate the pond's duck population and their varied movement patterns throughout the day. The shelters are expertly clad in slanted wooden shingles arranged in carefully overlapping layers, a design feature that provides optimal ventilation and weather resistance while visually recalling the natural geometry of a pinecone.
Circular windows have been strategically incorporated into each hut, serving a dual purpose by allowing visibility both for the ducks inside and for villa guests who can observe the animals using telescopes provided on-site. This thoughtful design element creates an engaging wildlife viewing experience while ensuring the ducks maintain visual connection with their surroundings.
Inside each shelter, the huts are equipped with automatic lighting systems that activate during winter nights or at other designated times throughout the year. This innovative feature creates necessary warmth for the ducks during colder periods while simultaneously producing a stunning illuminated display across the water's surface in the evening hours, adding an artistic dimension to the functional design.
