Type: Convention Centres
Completion: 1997
Size: 11 000 m²
Client: City of Durban Metro

Opened in 1997 by former president Nelson Mandela, the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) was South Africa’s first International Convention Centre and played a pioneering role in attracting international events to South Africa. In testimony to its excellence in design (by SVA in association with Phillip Cox), after more than 20 years of operation the Durban ICC remains one of the most advanced conference facilities in the world. At the time of its conception, it was an industry leader in state-of-the-art convention technologies, and is still a sought after destination for international conferences and conventions due to its ultimate flexibility and versatility. As a purpose-built, fully air-conditioned ICC complex, the first phase allowed the centre to be converted into 22 individual meeting spaces. The operable acoustic walls allow for an extensive range of different configurations, from a single large hall with seating for 1,680 delegates, down to multiple meeting/ boardrooms and break-out spaces. A key innovation of the design was the retractable, raked auditorium floor that can be raised to convert the auditorium into a flat floor plenary-styled space, seating over 1,500 guests between sessions. The aptly named “Hall of Stars” (with reference to the numerous “star” lights built into the soffit of the retractable raked floor) is complemented by the Fig Tree Courtyard, an outdoor space with an adjoining lawn area, used for cocktail parties, banquets, and small weddings. The ICC complex was later expanded between 2004-2007 and now includes the Durban ICC Arena and Exhibition Centre.