John a reif jr department of civil and environmental engineering

They build bridges and tunnels, measure two millimeters long, and are unwelcome at picnics. Ants, one of nature’s most minuscule and fascinating creatures, are the subject of a children’s book by civil engineer Harry N. Tuvel P.E., P.P.’74, ’79.

Clad in bright red T-shirts, teetering on stepladders in a cordoned off section of Livingston Mall, a team of designers from Gensler’s Morristown branch work together to build a massive mailbox constructed entirely from canned goods.

It’s “Build Day,” and they’ve been stacking and arranging and lining and readjusting cans of tuna since 7:30 a.m. It’s now nearing 6 p.m., and they’ve only just begun to tackle the hardest part of the project: constructing the curve of the mailbox.