International Convention Centre, Birmingham

The Central Mall, Birmingham ICC

The International Convention Centre (abbreviated to ICC) is a major conference venue in central Birmingham, England. The centre incorporates Symphony Hall and faces Centenary Square. The building has another entrance leading to the canals of Birmingham. The Westside area, which includes Brindleyplace, is located directly opposite the building on the other side of the canal. The centre is owned and operated by the NEC Group, who are also responsible for the nearby National Indoor Arena, just to the west of the complex.

History and construction

The building was designed by Percy Thomas Partnership and Renton Howard Wood Levin. The foundation stone was laid by Jacques Delors as a start of another 4 years and 5 months of construction. 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 Queen Elizabeth II. Funds of £49.7 million were provided by the European Council. The total cost of construction was £200 million.

It is on the site of the Prince of Wales Theatre and Bingley Hall, the world's first purpose-built exhibition 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 listed Victorian cast iron urinal was removed before construction began, on condition that it be re-erected. Although it was taken to Tyseley Locomotive Works, it has never been restored.

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 country fair. The fair featured a Ferris wheel and small rides. In spring 2008, the hall hosted its first party political conference, for the Labour Party.^[1] The venue has since hosted party conferences for all three main political parties over successive years.

Architecture

The façade of the building is covered in blue tinted windows and white stone cladding. The entrance is adorned by a neon sculpture, by Ron Hasledon, named "Birdlife" which hangs above it.^[2] 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.

Inside the building, numerous connecting bridges and walkways line the atrium 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 utilising its 3,050m² space.^[3]

Within the mall there are a number of concessions, including a branch of Castle Fine Art which sells original paintings and prints, a WHSmith store, coffee shops including a Starbucks 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.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to International Convention Centre, Birmingham.

• The ICC Website
• 1890 map of location of ICC (Bingley Hall is on the far right of image)

Buildings and structures in Birmingham, England
Highrise (in height order)	Sutton Coldfield mast BT Tower 10 Holloway Circus Chamberlain Clock Tower Alpha Tower Orion Building Sentinels Rotunda 103 Colmore Row The Cube Five Ways Tower Hyatt Centre City Tower Two Snowhill One Snow Hill Plaza Quayside Tower Colmore Gate McLaren Building Metropolitan House Edgbaston House Colmore Plaza Jury's Inn
Civic	Baskerville House Central Police Station Chamberlain Clock Chamberlain Memorial Council House Edgbaston Waterworks Energy from Waste Plant Hall of Memory Library of Birmingham Moseley Road Baths Other baths Municipal Bank Town Hall Town Hall (Sutton Coldfield) Union Workhouse
Main railway stations	Moor Street New Street Snow Hill Curzon Street Other stations
Universities	Aston University Birmingham City University Birmingham School of Art Newman University University College Birmingham University of Birmingham Barber Institute
Hospitals	Current Children's City Good Hope Orthopaedic Queen Elizabeth Women's Defunct Accident General Old Queen Elizabeth Selly Oak Witton Isolation
Religious	Christian Ascension, Hall Green St Agatha, Sparkbrook St Agnes, Moseley St Alban, Highgate St Andrew, Handsworth St Anne, Moseley St Anne, Digbeth St Augustine, Edgbaston St Barnabas, Erdington St Bartholomew, Edgbaston St Benedict's, Bordesley Bishop Latimer, Winson Green St Catherine, Bristol Street St Chad's Cathedral St Cyprian, Hay Mills St David, Shenley Green St Edburgha, Yardley St Edward, Selly Park Erdington Abbey SS Faith & Laurence, Harborne St Francis, Bournville St Francis, Handsworth St Gabriel, Weoley Castle St George, Edgbaston Handsworth Cemetery Chapel Holy Trinity, Birchfield Holy Trinity & St Luke Holy Trinity, Sutton Coldfield St James, Handsworth St John, Ladywood St John, Perry Barr St John, Sparkhill St Laurence, Northfield St Lazar, Bournville St Martin, Bull Ring St Mark, Washwood Heath St Mary, Acocks Green St Mary, Handsworth St Mary, Moseley St Mary, Selly Oak St Mary's Convent Methodist Central Hall St Michael & All Angels, Bartley Green St Michael, Handsworth St Michael, Moor Street St Nicolas, Kings Norton Oratory St Paul, Birmingham St Paul, Lozells St Peter, Harborne SS Peter & Paul, Aston St Philip's Cathedral St Silas, Lozells Stechford Baptist Islamic Central Mosque Darul Barakaat Ghamkol Shariff Green Lane Jami Jewish Central Synagogue Singers Hill Sikh Guru Nanak, Handsworth Hindu Shree Geeta Bhawan
Houses	Anchorage, The Christopher Wray Lighting works Edgbaston Hall The Endwood Hay Hall Highbury Moat House Moor Hall Moseley Hall New Hall Manor Northfield Manor House Peddimore Hall Penns Hall Pype Hayes Hall Sheldon Hall Stratford House Winterbourne
Hotels	Grand Hotel Hyatt Regency Hotel Indigo Jurys Inn Radisson Blu Resorts World Birmingham Other hotels
Pubs	Adam & Eve Anchor Inn Antelope Bartons Arms Black Horse Brookhill Tavern Crown Lad in the Lane Old Crown Queen's Arms Red Lion (Handsworth; closed) Woodman
Complexes	Brindleyplace Bull Ring Friends' Institute International Convention Centre Mailbox Grand Central Longbridge plant Paradise Circus Swan Shopping Centre
Art and theatres	Alexandra Barber Institute Crescent Drum Hippodrome mac Rep Odeon, Kingstanding Old Rep Piccadilly Symphony Hall
Museums	Aston Hall Back to Backs Blakesley Hall Newman Bros Coffin Factory Sarehole Mill Selly Manor/ Minworth Greaves Soho House Weoley Castle
Sports venues	Alexander Stadium Edgbaston (cricket) Edgbaston Priory Club St Andrew's Villa Park
Other	1–7 Constitution Hill 17 & 19 Newhall Street Ashford & Son Assay Office Barclaycard Arena Birmingham Crematorium Bromford Viaduct Castle Bromwich Assembly Chinese Pagoda Fort Dunlop Gas Retort House Gas Street Studios Great Western Arcade Holliday Street Aqueduct ICC Millennium Point Perrott's Folly Perry Bridge Prison Proof House Ringway Centre Saracen's Head Selfridges St James's House Victoria Square House Victoria Law Courts Victoria Works
Demolished	Aston Hippodrome Bishop's House Bishop Ryder Church Bordesley Hall Central Goods railway station Central Library Christ Church Church of the Messiah The Crescent Fox Hollies Hall Heathfield Hall Highfield Island House Langley Hall St Mary's, Whittall St. Metchley Fort Pebble Mill Studios Post & Mail Building
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