Convention Centre Dublin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Convention Centre Dublin |
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Ionad Comhdhála, Baile Átha Cliath
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| Address | Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1 |
| Town or city | Dublin |
| Country |  Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°20′53.412″N 6°14′21.561″W / 53.34817000°N 6.23932250°W |
| Construction started | 1998 |
| Completed | 5 May 2010 |
| Opened | 7 September 2010 |
| Cost | £104 million in 1999 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 39,567 m² |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Kevin Roche |
| Architecture firm | Roche-Dinkeloo |
| Developer | Harry Crosbie |
| Awards and prizes | Best Overseas Conference Centre |
| Known for | The first carbon neutral constructed convention centre in the world |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 8,000 |
| Number of rooms | 22 |
| Parking | 320 regular spaces and 8 disabled in underground carpark |
The Convention Centre Dublin (which is Ionad Comhdhála, Baile Átha Cliath in Irish) is a big building in Dublin, Ireland. It's used for large meetings, conferences, and events. The building is located in the Dublin Docklands area. It sits right next to the River Liffey at Spencer Dock.
A famous Irish-American architect named Kevin Roche designed this building. Work on the centre began in 1998. It finally opened its doors in 2010. From June 2020, the building was used as a temporary home for Dáil Éireann. This is the main parliament of Ireland. They moved there to allow for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
History of the Convention Centre
In 1995, the Irish government wanted to build a National Convention Centre. However, these early plans did not go ahead. A new competition was started in 1997 to find a design and location. Seven different groups entered this competition.
One group, called Treasury Holdings, won the competition. They worked with CIE, a transport company, to build the centre at Spencer Dock. A developer named Harry Crosbie was also part of this team. Their original idea included plans for two hotels, but only one was built.
The European Union agreed to give up to £25 million for the project. This money was given on the condition that the centre would be finished by the year 2000. The total cost of the project was expected to be between £35 million and £45 million.
The Convention Centre Dublin was nominated for an award in 2010. This was the Engineers Ireland Excellence Awards for Engineering Project of the Year.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Irish parliament, Dáil Éireann, needed more space. They moved temporarily to the Convention Centre from June 2020. This allowed them to keep a safe distance from each other.
How the Centre Was Built
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Building work on the Convention Centre started in 1998. However, it took a long time to finish, finally opening in 2010. There were some legal disagreements that caused delays. The main construction work was done by a company called Construction Management Partnership (CMP). This was a partnership between Treasury Holdings Limited and John Sisk & Son Limited. Sisk won the contract to build the £104 million centre in March 1999.
The building is known for its special design. It has a unique glass front and many curved walls. The centre is very large and can hold up to 8,000 people. It has 22 meeting rooms. This includes a big auditorium that can seat 2,000 people. There is also a huge space for exhibitions and banquets. This area is 4,500 square metres.
The Convention Centre Dublin is special because it is the first "carbon-neutral" convention centre in the world. This means it tries to have no negative impact on the environment. It uses special low-carbon cement. It also buys "carbon credits" to make up for any carbon emissions it can't avoid. This helps to balance out its carbon footprint.
The building also has clever systems to save energy. It uses a "thermal-wheel heat-recovery system." This system reuses heat that would normally be wasted. It also has an "ice-storage thermal unit." This unit helps to cool the building using ice, which saves energy.
In 2011, the Convention Centre Dublin won a silver award. It was named 'Best Overseas Conference Centre' at the M&IT Industry Awards. It came second to the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. It beat other big centres like Bella Center in Copenhagen and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
See also
In Spanish: Centro de Convenciones de Dublín para niños
