A S $600 million performing arts centre will open in Singapore in October.

The Esplanade - theatres on the bay, will be home to a 2,000 seat theatre, a 1,600 seat concert hall, two performing studios, restaurants and an arts related shopping mall which will include an arts library.

The venue will have outdoor performing spaces, including a theatre, an open air facility called The Edge and a forecourt for staging ceremonial events. Food and beverage outlets, with private hire facilities will feature inside and outside the centre.

Co-designed by London based architects Michael Wilford and Partners and Singapore based DP Architects, the Esplanade is dome shaped and covered in aluminium sunshades and laminated glass panels.

Acting Minister for information, Communications and the Arts David Lim said 'This building raises the quality of our performing arts infrastructure to world-class standards. I Hope, it will stir in Singaporeans, a sense of national pride and arouse our ambition to make Singapore truly a global city of the arts.'

The opening on 12 October 2002 will be followed by a three-week festival, featuring over 1,300 artists from 22 countries.