Sage is the latest in a series of developments on the quayside

The opening on Friday of the �70m Norman Foster-designed music centre marks the end of 10 years' planning.

The glass-roofed building is the new home of the Northern Sinfonia and will provide the venue for more than 400 performances of all music styles.

More than 600,000 people are expected to use the building each year with 750,000 visitors expected in 2005.

A glass-fronted concourse stretches along the front and sides of the building with a cafe, bars and a restaurant.

Sage facts The building is made up of a 720 ton steel grid shell The roof has 3,000 stainless steel rain screen roof panels with a total area of 10,500 sq m 280 maximum size 4m x 2m double glazing panels within the curved roof cover 1,500 sq m

There are 33 music performance spaces including two halls, one with seating for about 1,700 people on three levels and the other with up to 400 seats.

Other venues are the Northern Rock Foundation Hall for rehearsal, performance and music participation.

There will also be a music education centre, ExploreMusic - The Joan and Margaret Halbert Space, which is a high-tech music information service run by Gateshead Libraries and The Barbour Room, for entertainment and events for up to 300 people.

Arup Acoustics worked with The Sage Gateshead and Foster and Partners to develop a range of techniques.

These include an adjustable ceiling which can be changed to suit the type of music being played and sound absorbing curtains.

A major part of the building's work is its learning and participation programme. It includes projects for talented young musicians, for the public and evening classes.

Before the opening, it has been involved in working with schools and the community with the aim that once the venue opens, they will already feel comfortable visiting the building.