Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

History

Designed by COX Architecture, the BCEC was constructed by Leighton Contractors, beginning in March 1993 with the demolition of World Expo Park. Prior to Expo, the site was home to the South Brisbane Interstate Station. The building cost $170 million (equivalent to $ million in ), and was mostly funded by the Queensland Government's sale of a casino license, with the remainder funded directly by the government. The centre was completed in May 1995, and opened on 6 June that same year.

Brisbane hosted the 2014 G20 summit. The BCEC hosted the event including the International Media Centre. It was the largest media operation in the country's history with capacity for more than 2,500 journalists.

On 1 June 2021, around 150 protesters converged on the centre to protest the Land Forces convention. Fake blood was spread over the stairs and pavement outside the centre. Seven arrests were made.

During the COVID-19 pandemic the centre was used as mass vaccination hub. It was the largest hub set up in Queensland.

Expansion

The design of an expansion to BCEC on Grey Street was approved in 2007. The project was completed in early 2012, and opened on 25 January. It cost $140 million and was funded by the Queensland Government. The five-level expansion has 25,000 m2 of floorspace and includes two auditoria for 400 and 600 with accompanying foyer space, speakers’ facilities, and private boardrooms. The expansion saw the commission of an integrated artwork sited within the foyers and along Grey Street titled 'Pamphlet' 2012 by artist Bruce Reynolds, curated by Jacqueline Armitstead of Armitstead ART Consulting, and funded by Art + Place, Queensland Government's public art fund.

Design

The building is 450 m in length, 120 m wide, and 24 m high. The complex roof design is based on five hyperbolic paraboloids. The building is stabilised by concrete shear walls and clad in steel. A car park is located on the ground floor.

Events

BCEC hosts events such as the Brisbane International Boat Show, Home Show, Lifeline's Bookfest, Brides Wedding & Honeymoon Expo, World Travel Expo, graduation ceremonies for Griffith University and Southbank Institute of Technology, art shows and charity events. The centre hosts musical performances as well. It is the venue for a Kraftwerk concert in 2023.

The centre was selected as the hosting venue for the 2014 G-20 Australia summit.

The world’s largest and most influential HIV sciences conference was held at the centre from 23 to 26 July 2023.

Sports

From 1998 until 2008, the BCEC Great Hall was the home of three times National Basketball League (NBL) champions the Brisbane Bullets. The Bullets moved from the previous home, the 13,500 seat Brisbane Entertainment Centre, due in part to dwindling crowds and the cost of playing out of the Boondall based stadium. During the 2011-12 NBL season the Gold Coast Blaze played two home games at the centre.

The Convention Centre was also the home to the Brisbane-based netball side the Queensland Firebirds from 2008 to 2017. The Firebirds were a foundation club of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy (CBT) in 1997 and played at the 2,700 seat Chandler Arena. When the CBT was retired in 2007 and the ANZ Championship took its place the Firebirds moved to the new championship and also moved into the larger Convention Centre, becoming the venue's second major tenant alongside the Bullets. The team moved home games to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre after the 2017 season.

Awards

The Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre was recognized as the World's Best Convention Centre by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) from 2016 to 2018.

References

References

1. "BCEC Parking".
2. Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. "About Us".
3. Leighton Holdings. "Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre".
4. Canberra Convention Bureau. "Major Australian Convention Centres".
5. Williams, Patrick. (8 November 2014). "Brisbane G20: Inside the International Media Centre". [[ABC News (Australia).
6. (1 June 2021). "Protesters arrested at Land Forces defence equipment expo at Brisbane Convention Centre". [[ABC News (Australia).
7. McKenna, Kate. (9 August 2021). "Mass vaccination centre to open as Queensland records four cases of COVID-19 in the community". [[ABC News (Australia).
8. Laing O'Rourke. "BRISBANE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE. BRISBANE. AUSTRALIA".
9. MacMahon, Bill. (2001). "The Architecture of East Australia". Edition Axel Menges.
10. Newstead, Al. (12 Jul 2023). "Kraftwerk are returning to tour Australia this December". [[ABC News (Australia).
11. (11 July 2012). "Brisbane to shunned Sydney: 'Get used to it'". The Sydney Morning Herald.
12. (27 July 2023). "Brisbane delivers world’s largest HIV science conference". Spice News.
13. "BCEC Voted #1 in the World".
14. "Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre".