Designed in 1929 as upmarket flats by P. Hill Mitchelson, they were bought in 1963 by Dr Jack Penn who commissioned the new wing. The architect, Rusty Bernstein, was also the compiler of the Freedom Charter.  Penn lived on the top floor, while the remaining units housed nursing staff from the Brenthurst Clinic.  A reconstructive surgeon, Penn’s autobiography “The right to look human” expressed his dedication. He renamed the building after the mythical bird which is the symbol of plastic surgery.