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History of the building

Developed as part of a Public Private Partnership between Treasury Holdings and The Office of Public Works (OPW), The CCD is the first state-owned, public-access building to be constructed since the foundation of the Irish State.

Designed by Pritzker award-winning Irish-born architect Kevin Roche, The CCD quickly became a landmark building on Dublin’s skyline when it opened in 2010. Its stunning glass-fronted atrium gives visitors panoramic views of the River Liffey, Dublin city centre and the Wicklow mountains.

About the building

The building offers 22 multi-functional rooms suitable for meetings, banquets, conferences and exhibitions of all shapes and sizes, and was designed with the delegate experience in mind. The entire venue is finished to the highest specifications and incorporates industry leading technology and Wi-Fi throughout.

Recognised as the first carbon neutral constructed convention centre in the world, The CCD’s contemporary design meets the highest standards of environmental sustainability. We are also committed to long-term sustainability in accordance with the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 14001.

1987

 European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) launched.

1992

The second ERDF launched, including provision of a new fit-for-purpose National Conference Centre (NCC).

1997 – 2005

Dermod Dwyer was appointed by the Spencer Dock promoters as group leader.

2005

The Office of Public Works (OPW) sponsored a new PPP competition where qualified promoters were asked to tender to provide a site, design, finance, build and operate the NCC.

September 2006

Tender process commences

April 2007

Government announced that the Spencer Dock Convention Centre Dublin (SDCCD) had won the contract to build the conference centre in a deal valued at €380 million.

November 2007

Construction work above ground began on The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD).

May 2010

After 40 months on-site construction work on the building, it was completed four months ahead of schedule and on budget. The building was handed over to SDCCD from CMP.

August 2010

Practical Completion achieved and the building was legally handed over to the ownership of the OPW as the commissioning Authority and official agent of the government of Ireland.

7 September 2010

The CCD officially opened by the Taoiseach of Ireland Brian Cowen.

June 2020

Due to COVID-19 capacity restrictions, the Houses of the Oireachtas temporarily moved location from Leinster House to The CCD, one of the very few times that sittings of the Dáil and Seanad took place outside of Kildare Street.

27 June 2020

The 15th Taoiseach, Mícheál Martin, was elected in the Auditorium of The CCD, marking the first time such an election took place outside of Parliament buildings.

The Architect

Kevin Roche (June 14, 1922 – March 1, 2019) was one of Ireland’s most acclaimed international architects. Born in Dublin, Kevin received a Bachelor of Architecture from the National University of Ireland in 1945.

After professional experience in Dublin and London, Kevin moved to the United States in 1948. Kevin won innumerable awards for his designs of over 300 major buildings around the world. In 1982, he was awarded the prestigious Pritzker Prize (the Nobel Prize equivalent for architecture). Kevin’s better-known work includes expansion of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Oakland Museum, the UN Plaza and the Ford Foundation headquarters in New York.

The CCD is the first Irish building Kevin designed. Kevin, as master architect designed every facet of this building right down to the door handles. The CCD design has been end-user driven and has emerged as an iconic building on the banks of the Liffey. It has a wonderful 55-metre high glass atrium offering visitors amazing views right across the Dublin skyline and over the Dublin and Wicklow mountains.

Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates LLC (KRJDA) is located in Hamden, Connecticut. The firm has been honoured with numerous awards for architecture and design. More information about Kevin’s work can be found on the KRJDA website.