Kevin Roche (left) with the Chairman of Spencer Dock International Conference Centre Ltd (SDICC) Dermod Dwyer

World-renowned Irish born Architect Kevin Roche was in Dublin yesterday to discuss plans for his latest project, the proposed National Conference Centre at Spencer Dock, with the preferred tenderer, Spencer Dock International Conference Centre Ltd. (SDICC). 

Speaking about the project, Mr. Roche said that his aim had been to design a building that would be as iconic as the two major landmarks along the Liffey, The Four Courts and The Custom House. 

The proposed National Conference Centre will include a 2,000-seat auditorium, two 450-seat multi-media halls, exhibition spaces, conference banqueting halls, meeting rooms and lecture areas. The site will also house a hotel that will cater for the large number of people expected to visit the city to use the facility.

Mr. Roche stated that, for it to be successful, the Centre must be properly planned, well managed and most of all, memorable, “The challenge for me was to design a building for conventioneers and visitors that is state of the art, a pleasant place to visit and works better than any other Conference Centre anywhere.”

Born in Ireland, Kevin Roche is the country’s most famous international architect. Best known for his work on the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, Mr. Roche has master-planned the design of world class facilities including 38 institutional and corporate headquarters together with performing arts centres, theatres, university campus buildings and the Central Park Zoo.

The Spencer Dock International Convention Centre Ltd. team is finalising contractual issues for this Public Private Partnership project with the Office of Public Works. Both parties anticipate that this phase will be completed within the next number of weeks after which, it is understood, the Government will formally ratify the scheme to allow SDICC shortly thereafter commence the construction of the National Conference Centre.