International Convention Centre Sydney

The International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) is an exhibition and convention centre which opened in December 2016, in Sydney, Australia.[1][2] ICC Sydney is Australia's second largest fully integrated convention, exhibition and entertainment centre, behind Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Created as a multipurpose event space, ICC Sydney has over 70 meeting rooms, three theatres and two formal ballrooms.[3]

For the former convention and exhibition center located on the site of ICC Sydney, see Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.
International Convention Centre Sydney
Exterior view of convention centre (c.2017)
Alternative namesICC Sydney
General information
LocationDarling Harbour
Address14 Darling Dr
Sydney, New South Wales
Australia
Coordinates33°52′24″S 151°11′56″E
Groundbreaking10 January 2014 (2014-01-10)
Opened12 December 2016 (2016-12-12)
CostA$1.5 billion
OwnerGovernment of New South Wales
ManagementAEG Ogden
Design and construction
Architect
Structural engineerRobert Bird Group
Civil engineerHyder Consulting
Quantity surveyorESO Surveyors
Main contractorLendlease Group
Website
Official Website
International Convention Centre Sydney
Banquet/ballroom790 (Cockle Bay Room)
1,260 (Parkside Ballroom)
2,410 (The Gallery)
3,600 (Grand Ballroom)
Theatre seating
1,000 (Pyrmont Theatre)
2,500 (Darling Harbour Theatre)
9,000 (First State Super Theatre)
Enclosed space
 • Exhibit hall floor37,567 square metres (404,370 sq ft)
 • Breakout/meeting6,925 square metres (74,540 sq ft)
 • Ballroom7,289 square metres (78,460 sq ft)
Public transit access Exhibition Centre
Convention
ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre
Aware Super Theatre

ICC Sydney includes convention spaces for 2,500, 1,000 and 750 people. It also includes a flexible space of 2,500 square metres (27,000 sq ft) and the largest ballroom in Sydney, able to accommodate 2,000 people. ICC Sydney is within walking distance to over half of Sydney's 33,000 hotel rooms and is just 8 km (5 mi) from the Sydney International Airport. The ICC Exhibition Centre and Entertainment Centre includes 33,000 square metres (360,000 sq ft) of exhibition space, which can be divided into smaller spaces according to requirements.[4] The first major event held at the newly developed centre was RTX Sydney hosted by Rooster Teeth Productions on 4 - 5 February 2017.[5]

The ICC Sydney, part of Darling Harbour Live, is being developed by a consortium comprising AEG Ogden (now ASM Global[6]) Lend Lease, Capella Capital and Spotless, with AEG Ogden playing the role of venue operator.[7]

Location

ICC Sydney is located in the Darling Harbour, skirting the centre of the Sydney central business district and just 8 km (5 mi) from the Sydney International Airport.[8] ICC Sydney is positioned on the waterfront, near Cockle Bay and Tumbalong Park.

ICC Sydney opened adjacent to a new global financial services hub Barangaroo, as well as media, technology and knowledge centres. It features multiple public access points, with the option of visiting the precinct via a choice of walking or transport options including, road, light rail, train and ferry.[9]

History and structure

ICC Sydney was designed by two architectural firms, Hassell and Populous, in a contemporary modern style.[3] It replaces the former Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre that was demolished in December 2013.[10] Construction began in early 2014; an estimated 32,000 cubic metres (1,100,000 cu ft) of concrete will be used to construct the building.[11]

ICC Sydney is an A$1.5 billion development being delivered through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the New South Wales Government and Darling Harbour Live (comprising Lend Lease, Hostplus, Capella Capital, AEG Ogden and Spotless). The development of ICC Sydney is part of a broader A$3.4 billion revitalisation of Darling Harbour.[12] Upon completion, ICC Sydney will adjoin a new 590 room luxury hotel tower (under the Sofitel brand), a residential and commercial development (Darling Square),[13] pedestrian boulevard and improved public domain that are all being created as part of the Darling Harbour development. The development will also include a reconfiguration of Tumbalong Park, providing an additional 3,000 m2 (32,000 sq ft) of green space acting as a new adaptable event space.[14]

In accordance with the contractual agreement with Darling Harbour Live and the NSW Government, ICC Sydney secured First State Super, an equity partner in the PPP's consortium, as the naming rights sponsor for the venue's 9,000 seat entertainment theatre on 1 July 2019. The 9,000-seat venue would now be known as the "First State Super Theatre" for the next 10 years. In September 2020, First State Super Theatre became Aware Super Theatre, following the re-brand of naming rights partner First State Super to Aware Super.[15]

Construction milestones
  • July 2015, ICC Sydney Hotel construction commenced. The hotel consists of 35 storeys and approximately 600 rooms. It is managed by AccorHotels under its Sofitel brand.[16]
  • September 2015, Topping Out Ceremony for the ICC Sydney Theatre. The ceremony that marked the completion of the concrete pour for the top floor of the ICC Sydney Theatre was attended by NSW Premier Mike Baird and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance.[17]

Controversy
Main article: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre

The 1989 Sir John Sulman Medal for Public Architecture was awarded to Philip Cox Richardson Taylor Partners as joint winners for Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour which was demolished in 2014 to make way for the new development. Architects John Andrews and Philip Cox spoke out over the demolition of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre completed in 1988, criticising the fact that the existing structures had not been incorporated into the new development.[18]

Facilities

ICC Sydney consists of three conjoined key structures: 9,000-seat Aware Super Theatre (previously known as ICC Sydney Theatre and First State Super Theatre), ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre and ICC Sydney Convention Centre. The buildings contain a number of feature event spaces such as: The Gallery, The Grand Ballroom and Event Deck.[19]

  • ICC Sydney Convention Centre lobby
  • ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre Level 2 lobby
  • Aware Super Theatre lobby
  • ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre Level 4 Event Deck
  • Moriarty Walk
  • Tidal Cascades designed by Robert Woodward

Hosted events

Twenty large international conventions are scheduled for ICC Sydney, including:

Netball

During the 2018 Suncorp Super Netball season, the main theatre hosted two netball matches, one an intra-city derby between Giants Netball and the New South Wales Swifts and the other between the Giants and the West Coast Fever. Despite not being designed with indoor sport in mind, the theatre was utilised by the league due to a lack of stadium availability elsewhere in the city.[28] The venue is unlikely to host netball again, as both clubs will move into a permanent multi-purpose facility at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre in 2020.

See also

References
  1. "BEA - Business Events Australia Newsletter – March 2015". Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  2. Wright, Louisa (13 December 2016). "International Convention Centre Sydney opens". ArchitectureAU. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  3. "Sneak peek: Sydney's $1.1b International Convention Centre (ICC) by HASSELL and Populous [Video] - Architecture And Design". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  4. "Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct - Design Build Network".
  5. "RTX Sydney 2017".
  6. "AEG Facilities and SMG Merger - ASMGlobal". ICC Sydney. 2 October 2019.
  7. "Sydney paints clearer picture of future Darling Harbour precinct Sydney". 12 December 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  8. "International Convention Centre Sydney". Business Events Sydney. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  9. "Darling Harbour $1b transformation". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  10. "Sydney's Convention and Exhibition Centre has wrecking ball date". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  11. "Convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  12. "$1 billion plan to reshape Sydney - with separate $1.5 billion Lend Lease deal". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  13. "New urban neighbourhood: Sydney's future economy". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  14. "'Refined' $2.5b facelift for Darling Harbour unveiled". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  15. "ICC Sydney Reveals The New Look Aware Super Theatre". ICC Sydney.
  16. "ICC Sydney Hotel construction commences - ICC Sydney". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  17. "Darling Harbour News". April 2015.
  18. "Architect lashes out at 'stupid' demolition". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  19. "ICC Sydney". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  20. "RTX Sydney 2017".
  21. "AIPC Annual Conference".
  22. "Sydney secures another sought-after event for ICC Sydney 2017". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  23. "Sydney to host World Chambers Congress in 2017". New South Wales Business Chamber. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  24. "Over 10,000 Amway China delegates expected in Sydney in 2017". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  25. "Ariana Grande Announces 2017 'Dangerous Woman' Australian Tour". Music Feeds. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  26. "RTX Sydney 2017".
  27. "ICC lands Sibos event". Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  28. "Netball's plea: Don't forget us in stadium splurge". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 July 2018.
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