Ian Hannaford, the architect behind one of Adelaide’s most recognizable landmarks and a footballer who played in three premierships for the Port Adelaide Magpies, has died aged 82.
Hannaford was the original architect of Rundle Mall, the 1970s project led by premier Don Dunstan which transformed the centre of the city, closing off part of Rundle Street to cars and creating a pedestrianized retail destination. The mall and the artwork The Spheres by Vienna-born artist Bert Flugelman, known to locals as the “Mall’s Balls,” have become synonymous with Adelaide as a city and tourism destination.
Hannaford also designed private residences, including modernist houses inspired by Mies van der Rohe, as well as resorts, apartment buildings and the Victor Richardson gates at Adelaide Oval.
Before he was an architect, he was a goal scorer for Port Adelaide, kicking 108 goals from 123 matches between 1958 and 1964. He won his first premiership with the club at the age of 18 in 1958 and won back-to-back flags in 1962 and 1963. He retired from the game early, at the age of 24, in order to train as an architect. Despite his relatively short football career, he was named by The Advertiser among Port Adelaide’s 150 greatest players in the club’s first 150 years.
Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson said in a statement, “The Port Adelaide Football Club extends its heartfelt condolences to son Nicholas, daughter Rachel, grandchildren Darcy, Oliver and Jesse, stepchildren Sam, Digby and Fiona and the entire Hannaford family during this time.
“Ian played a pivotal role in the Port Adelaide side through the golden era of the late 1950s and early 1960s that has created such a great legacy for our club today.
“Upon his early retirement, Ian focussed on his career becoming one of the preeminent architects in South Australia designing a number of landmarks around Adelaide, most notably the Victor Richardson gates at Adelaide Oval.
“Despite his success, Ian was humble and understated in his demeanour, articulate and passionate.”
