The highest energy cosmic rays pose some intriguing puzzles: How do they get their energies? Why do their arrival directions not point to special astrophysical objects? Why is the spectrum not terminated near 6x1019 eV by particle collisions with the cosmic microwave radiation? The Auger Project is an ambitious international effort to resolve these questions. I will emphasize novel design features, which give the Auger Observatory superior capabilities. Construction is just beginning at the southern hemisphere site in Argentina. Data obtained during the engineering tests offer a glimpse into the future of this great facility.