The idea of designing the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center birdhouse came from hospital leadership, who asked the Engineering Department to build it. Our Engineering Director, Smirna Bocanegra, was the design lead. The department’s first concept was to create a replica of the original hospital, which was built in 1919 on Witherspoon Street in Princeton. The Engineering team wanted to challenge themselves, however, so they decided to recreate the current hospital building in Plainsboro. Replicating the modern building required innovation and ingenuity, as the structure’s façade is curved. Our Engineering tech, Tom Early, was up to the task. He created the distinctive curve by carefully shaping plexiglass and enjoyed tackling a project that was very different from his daily hospital operations responsibilities. Smirna elevated the design by incorporating key parts of the campus, such as the flagpole, helipad, and interior level where you can often find birds perching. Collaboration among the Engineering department also included tech Ray Zak, who helped finalize aspects of the design that brought the concept to life.