Convention Centre Dublin

The Convention Centre Dublin (Irish: Ionad Comhdhála, Baile Átha Cliath) is a convention centre in the Dublin Docklands, Ireland. The Convention centre overlooks the River Liffey at Spencer Dock. It was designed by the Irish-born American architect Kevin Roche. Construction started in 1998 and the building opened in 2010. From June 2020 it acted as a temporary location for Dáil Éireann due to the necessity to implement social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not to be confused with Dublin Convention.

Convention Centre Dublin
Ionad Comhdhála, Baile Átha Cliath
Location within Central Dublin
General information
Architectural styleModern
AddressSpencer Dock,
North Wall Quay,
Dublin 1
Town or cityDublin
Country Ireland
Coordinates53°20′53.412″N 6°14′21.561″W
Construction started1998
Completed5 May 2010 (2010-05-05)
Opened7 September 2010 (2010-09-07)[1]
Cost£104 million in 1999
Technical details
Floor area39,567 m²[2]
Design and construction
ArchitectKevin Roche
Architecture firmRoche-Dinkeloo
DeveloperHarry Crosbie
Awards and prizesBest Overseas Conference Centre
Known forThe first carbon neutral constructed convention centre in the world[3]
Other information
Seating capacity8,000
Number of rooms22
Parking320 regular spaces and 8 disabled in underground carpark[4]
Website
www.theccd.ie

History

In 1995, the then Irish government planned to build a National Convention Centre but this plan was abandoned. Minister for Tourism Enda Kenny had announced the location of the proposed convention centre to be at the RDS in Ballsbridge – this proved to be a dead-end. In November 1997, with the new Fianna Fáil-led government elected, a new competition to build the conference centre was launched by Tourism Minister James McDaid, with seven consortia entering. The Office of Public Works proposed to build the convention centre at Infirmary Road beside the Phoenix Park. The Ogden/Sonas Centre group headed by Robert White, whose plans for a casino-based scheme at the Phoenix Park had been abandoned by the previous government, also entered the competition. The Anna Livia Consortium, comprising Earlsfort Group, Bennett Construction and Kilsarin Concrete, proposed a conference centre complex within Dublin Port across the street from the O2.[5]

Treasury Holdings, headed by Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett, who were the ultimate winners of the competition, entered into an agreement with CIE to locate its project at Spencer Dock. Developer Harry Crosbie was also part of the consortium. Their plan included plans for two 250-bedroom hotels, at least one of which was never ultimately built. One hotel had been planned for the rear of the Convention Centre, the site of which has been used as a park in the interim.[6]

The closing date for entries was 31 January 1998. The European Union agreed to provide a maximum grant of £25 million towards the project though this was conditional on the project was completed by the year 2000. The overall cost of the project at the time was projected at £35m to £45m, excluding site acquisition, according to the tender document. Successful bidders would also have to hand over £250,000 to Bord Fáilte for costs incurred by them.[6]

The CCD was shortlisted for the Engineers Ireland Excellence Awards – Engineering Project of the Year 2010.[7]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the necessity for social distancing, Dáil Éireann temporarily sat there from June 2020.

Construction
The Dublin Convention Centre, a modern architecture, at night

Construction work began on the project in 1998, though ultimately not finishing until 2010. A legal dispute arose between its promoters, Spencer Dock International, the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and Dublin City Council which partly delayed the project. Construction of the project was undertaken by Construction Management Partnership (CMP), a joint venture between Treasury Holdings Limited and John Sisk & Son Limited. Sisk was awarded the contract to build the "£104 million" centre in March 1999.[8]

The building is iconic for a number of architectural innovations, particularly the glass frontage and numerous curved walls.[9] The building can hold up to 8,000 people in 22 meeting rooms, which include a 2,000-seat auditorium and a 4,500 square metre exhibition and banqueting space.[9]

It is the first carbon-neutral convention centre in the world[10] because of its use of low-carbon cement and the offsetting of unavoidable carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits in accordance with the Voluntary Carbon Standard. It also features a thermal-wheel heat-recovery system and an ice-storage thermal unit to provide air conditioning for the building.[9]

The CCD won silver in 'Best Overseas Conference Centre' in the M&IT Industry Awards 2011, second to The Grimaldi Forum in Monaco and beating Bella Center, Copenhagen and The Las Vegas Convention Center.[11]

References
  1. "History of The Convention Centre Dublin". The Convention Centre Dublin. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  2. "Design & Construction". The Convention Centre Dublin. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  3. "About The CCD Building - The Convention Centre Dublin". The Convention Centre Dublin. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  4. "Parking at The Convention Centre Dublin". The Convention Centre Dublin. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  5. McDonald, Frank (20 February 1998). "Conference centre faces EU funding deadline". Dublin: The Irish Times. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  6. McDonald, Frank (29 November 1997). "Seven enter competition to build conference centre in Dublin". Dublin: The Irish Times. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  7. "Engineers Ireland Excellence Awards". Engineers Ireland. 5 November 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
  8. "Sisk wins £104m contract for national conference centre". Irish Times. 13 March 1999. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  9. "The Convention Centre Dublin". Dublin Docklands. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
  10. "About the Building". The Convention Centre Dublin. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
  11. "Record voter numbers decide M&IT Industry Awards finalists". meetpie.com. 18 January 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
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