Benjamin lived at the old Devonport Library for a decade and now has a new home. Photo / Doug Sherring
The design of Devonport's new library is just purr-fect for its resident cat.
Celebrated architect Sir Ian Athfield included special provision for Benjamin the much-loved library cat in his final work.
Sir Ian died two weeks before the Devonport Library, one of his last projects, opened on February 2. The
74-year-old was considered a leading exponent of modernist architecture during his 50-year career, and had a considerable influence on the face of Wellington.
His company, Athfield Architects, was chosen to design the $7.8 million library, but only after it showed it could cater for the needs of resident cat Benjamin.
Auckland Libraries' customer experience manager Mirla Edmundson said the friendly feline had been part of the community for more than a decade after "making himself at home at the [previous] library one day, quite of his own accord".
