| International Convention Centre | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Exterior view of the venue (c.2021) | |
| Address | 8 Centenary Square Birmingham B1 2EA England |
| Coordinates | 52°28′44.12″N1°54′38.61″W / 52.4789222°N 1.9107250°W /52.4789222; -1.9107250 |
| Owner | NEC Group |
| Operator | NEC Group |
| Built | 1984–91 |
| Architect |
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| Inaugurated | 12 June 1991 (1991-06-12) |
| Opened | 2 April 1991 (1991-04-02) |
| Renovated | 2015–16 |
Construction cost | £200 million (£812 million in 2023[1]) |
Theatre seating | 2,262(Symphony Hall) 1,500(Conference Auditorium) |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Total space | 9,104 m2 (97,990 sq ft) |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 4,151 m2 (44,680 sq ft) |
| • Breakout/meeting | 1,927 m2 (20,740 sq ft) |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
TheInternational Convention Centre (ICC) is a major conference venue inBirmingham, England. The centre incorporatesSymphony Hall and facesCentenary Square, with another entrance leading to thecanals of Birmingham. TheWestside area, which includesBrindleyplace, is opposite the building on the other side of the canal. The centre is owned and operated by theNEC Group, who is also responsible for the nearbyArena Birmingham, just to the west of the complex.
The building was designed byPercy Thomas Partnership and Renton Howard Wood Levin. The foundation stone was laid byJacques Delors.
Construction was carried out by RM Douglas (know today asTilbury Douglas).[2]
After 4 years and 5 months of construction the project was finished. In all, over 1,500 workers helped construct the building. Over 60,000 cubic metres of concrete were used. The site was opened on 12 June 1991 by QueenElizabeth II. Funds of £49.7 million were provided by theEuropean Council. The total cost of construction was £200 million.
It is on the site of the Prince of Wales Theatre andBingley Hall, the world's first purpose-builtexhibition hall, opened in 1850. Also on the site were numerous houses fronting King Edward's Place as well as a brewery and inn. On the eastern side of this was King Alfreds Place which was also fronted by houses and a hotel. A listedVictoriancast ironurinal was removed before construction began, on condition that it be re-erected. Although it was taken toTyseley Locomotive Works, it has never been restored.
The ICC hosted the24th G8 summit in May 1998.
On a specified date in August, the building is used by companies, organisations and/ or individuals as part of "Discovery Day" which features events co-ordinated all over the city. In 2004, an area was used as an indoor countryfair. The fair featured aFerris wheel and small rides. In spring 2008, the hall hosted its first-party political conference, for theLabour Party.[3] The venue has since hosted party conferences for all three main political parties over successive years.
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The façade of the building is covered in blue-tintedwindows and white stone cladding. The entrance is adorned by aneon sculpture, by Ron Hasledon, named "Birdlife" which hangs above it.[4] The entrance is used as a small performance area and small protests are sometimes held there. The south side of the building features a link bridge to the Hyatt Regency Hotel. When the pre-fabricated connecting bridge was delivered, it was found to be too short, as the plans for the hotel had been modified, moving it away from the ICC slightly, but the bridge makers had not been informed.[citation needed]
Inside the building, numerous connecting bridges and walkways line theatrium overhead connecting the ten halls and ten additional meeting rooms. The ICC has a total capacity of 8,000 delegates. The largest hall, Hall 3, can hold up to 3,000 delegates when fully using its 3,050m2 space.[5]
| Room | Floor Area (m2) | Maximum Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Conference Auditorium (Hall 1) | – | 1,502 |
| Symphony Hall | – | 2,262 |
| Hall 3 | 3,050 | 3,000 |
| Hall 4 | 806 | 830 |
| Hall 5 | – | 300 |
| Hall 6 | 113 | 120 |
| Hall 7 | 148 | 140 |
| Hall 8 | 319 | 306 |
| Hall 9 | 296 | 300 |
| Hall 10 | 236 | 250 |
| Hall 11 | 360 | 345 |
Within the mall, there are a number of concessions, including a branch of Castle Fine Art which sells original paintings and prints, aWHSmith store, coffee shops including aStarbucks store as well as the box office for tickets for both Symphony Hall and other local theatres.Hotdesking space is also available with computers providing internet access.
Media related toInternational Convention Centre, Birmingham at Wikimedia Commons
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| National | |
