The rubber duck is coming to Beijing Design Week in September. Dutch creator Florentijn Hofman apparently made the announcement at a press conference in Beijing on Saturday, saying, “The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn't discriminate people and doesn't have a political connotation. The friendly, floating Rubber Duck has healing properties: it can relieve mondial tensions as well as define them. The rubber duck is soft, friendly and suitable for all ages!”
Noting the wild popularity of Hong Kong's big rubber duck in Victoria Harbor, designed by Florentjin Hofman, Wuhan went ahead and got its own. It's made by a property company, notes Sina.
To be honest, I'm surprised that a property company practicing shanzhai wouldn't go bigger instead of smaller. Surely 16.5 meters isn't the upper limit for rubber duck sizes.
The 16.5-meter inflatable duck in Hong Kong's Victoria Bay remains entertaining. Look at the above. Just look at it.
It was due to air leakage, says Sina. It lasted 12 days, as of yesterday.
Pity the duck. Pity us all.
I don't really have anything to add to Hong Wrong's piece about the 16.5-meter duck in Victoria Harbor, "In Pictures: HK Goes Completely Insane For Big Yellow Duck’s Arrival," or Shanghaiist's guide to SCMP's articles about these rubber ducks (with rolling updates), except to say this is awesome:
